Trainer Riley Mott's third and most lucrative career victory to date came with favored Traverse ($4) in a $106,000 second-level allowance for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 12 at Oaklawn under leading rider Cristian Torres.
The victory was noteworthy for another reason, too, since it marked Mott's first for Kentucky's famed Claiborne Farm, which also bred the 4-year-old daughter of 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Street Sense.
“The colors and the silks and their name speak for themselves,” Mott said. “That was an allowance race, but I think it could do a lot for my career down the line.”
Mott, 31, went out on his own Nov. 1 after assisting his father, Bill Mott, for eight years. Claiborne has had a long relationship with Bill Mott, campaigning, among others, graded stakes-winning homebreds Stroll, Watch, and Wend with the Hall of Fame trainer. Claiborne, in partnership with Adele Dilschneider, also bred and raced millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner Elate, who was also trained by Mott.
Riley Mott, as a traveling assistant, saddled Elate to a third-place finish in the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies in 2017 at Oaklawn.
Traverse began her racing career with trainer Reeve McGaughey, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. She was moved from trainer Tom Drury Jr. to Riley Mott following an entry-level allowance victory Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs. Traverse, in her first start for Mott, finished fourth in the $150,000 Pippin Stakes for older fillies and mares Jan. 7 at Oaklawn.
“That's the only one I have for Claiborne, but I'm meant to get some 2-year-olds,” Mott said. “They did me a favor by sending me a nice horse to start out with. Pretty cool.”
The Feb. 12 victory was the third in seven lifetime starts for Traverse and moved her earnings to $188,065. Mott said Traverse “possibly” could start again at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting.
“We're looking at maybe some black-type races in the spring for her, so there's a 50-50 shot,” Mott said.
Traverse represented the second victory at the Oaklawn meeting for Mott, who is wintering in Hot Springs.
Claiborne recorded its first Oaklawn victory in a March 24, 1967, allowance race with a homebred, Monitor, who was trained by future Hall of Famer Harry Trotsek. Monitor won the Arkansas Derby 15 days later.
The post ‘The Colors And The Silks And Their Name Speak For Themselves’: Trainer Riley Mott Follows In Father’s Footsteps With First Claiborne Farm Winner appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
