Trainer Bill Mott was busy mid-morning on June 6 outside his gym Saratoga Race Course stables, escorts horses off the Oklahoma Training Track and resolves problems at his stables.
In the coming days, the Hall of Famer only looks busier—running seven horses June 7 at Saratoga, led by Just letting you know in the Acorn Stakes (G1), then started up to a dozen there on June 8, including resilience in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
Watch: Mott brings resilience Try the extra 1/4 mile at Belmont
While Just FYI, George Krikorian’s defending champion 2-year-old filly, is the 5-2 second choice in the 1 1/8-mile Acorn, rematching the 8-5 favorite Thorpedo Anna , who beat her in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) last month, Resilience is a long way off. The into mischief The 3-year-old colt, winner of the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at Water racetrack in early April, was a 10-1 outsider at the morning line for the 1 1/4-mile Belmont Stakes after falling to sixth in the Kentucky Derby at the same distance five weeks ago.
Finishing back-to-back for the eighth time in the Derby at Churchill Downs, he made a bold move to move into second place, chasing victory Mystik Dan in the early stages, before weakening to finish 7 3/4 lengths behind the winner.
“When he came out of the quarterfinals it looked like he would have a great chance to win, but then he got to pole eight and flattened out a bit,” Mott said. “I can’t make any excuses for him other than this is his first 10-race ride.”
Speaking the day after the Derby, Mott seemed inclined to steer the colt owned by Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman into shorter races, but he said on Thursday he was looking forward to making a second start at a classic distance again. This race at 1 1/4 miles will test how they manage the rest of the colt’s season.
“We’ll know whether to go back to eight- and nine-furlong races or if, if there’s something in his future at 10 races — Travers is at Saratoga. If he runs really well , then maybe we’ll think about it.”
Mott knows what it takes to win the Belmont. He renewed in 2010 with WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer .
Drosselmeyer’s connections celebrate his win in the 2010 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park
The Belmont Stakes is about the same distance as the Travers this year because the third leg of the Triple Crown is taking place at Saratoga. Its traditional distance at Belmont Park | BloodHorse.com Tracking Profile”>Belmont Parkunder reconstruction, was 1 1/2 miles, but that distance was impossible due to the different track configurations on the two ovals.
The venue also means some changes for some Mott’s Belmont Festival participants.
Casa Creed , Mott’s veteran sprinter and distance runner, is running in the $350,000 one-mile Poker Stakes (G3T) on Belmont Stakes day, instead of the $500,000 5 1/2-furlong Jaipur Stakes (G1T). He has competed in the latter race the past three years, winning back-to-back in 2021-22 and finishing third last year for owners LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable.
The day before on Friday, the female runner ran a marathon on the coach’s grass War like a goddess running shorter than her best distance in the 1 3/16-mile New York Stakes (G1T). She was sixth in New York last year when it was 1 1/4 miles from Belmont. Krikorian-owned War Like Goddess enjoys races from 1 3/8 miles to 1 1/2 miles.
“We probably have to rely on the composition of the race, the pace and what the pace is,” Mott said. “There would have to be a lot of speed in the race to allow us to finish in that shorter distance.”
Ortiz Jr. Shut down June 6 Mount after port issue
Racer Irad Ortiz Jr. was excused from his mount for the second half of the June 6 match after he was ejected from the match. Ariana rye before the fifth race.
Racer Irad Ortiz Jr.
Immediately after Ortiz was taken off the back of the gate, Ariana Rye was scratched. After the race ended, it was announced that Ortiz would leave all remaining mounts on Thursday.
The New York Racing Association posted an update on the driver on social media shortly after the incident, noting that Ortiz had been “transferred to Saratoga Hospital for preventive X-rays of the ankle/foot his left leg.”
Later that day, the driver’s agent, Steve Rushing, told Daily Racing Form’s David Grening that X-rays and MRI tests were negative. Grening noted that Ortiz will see how he feels tomorrow before deciding whether to go.
Ortiz was named the rider of many top horses, including Leslie’s Rose in the Acorn Stakes on Friday, White Abarrio in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on Saturday, and Mind frame in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, to name just three.
Raising gold to reach the pinnacle of your career at the Met Mile
Thanks to a number of top tournaments also participating in the Metropolitan Handicap, Raise gold carries morning odds of 15-1 on the June 8 test at Saratoga Race Course but his strong 2023 season suggests son of Mine shaft deserves a chance.
Lifting the Golden Train in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse
A year ago Hoist the Gold earned a Grade 2 win in both the Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) at Water racetrack and Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland and he earned a Grade 1 placing by finishing second to the 2023 Horse of the Year Cody’s wish in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1).
Although Hoist the Gold has failed to make the grade in three starts this year, those efforts culminated, as he finished fourth in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), 14th in the Saudi Cup (G1) and fifth. inside Churchill Downs. In his debut at 5 years old at Pegasus, Hoist the Gold finished 11 lengths behind. National treasure 8-5 second choice at the Met Mile.
Trainer Dallas Stewart believes Hoist the Gold, who is campaigned by Dream Team One Racing Stable, can continue his efforts on May 4 at Churchill Downs, his first start since the Saudi Cup in May. Two. In his bid for victory, Hoist the Gold excelled at the front or by forcing the horse early. In the seven-furlong Churchill Downs he went from third to half a mile but lacked late punch.
“With this being his first start since the Saudi Cup, it was logical he needed that race and he has done well since then,” Stewart said. “Obviously there are some very good horses there but we feel good about ours.”
Perhaps the prep race at Churchill could give a slight advantage on Saturday as both the Met Mile are favourites White Abarrio and National Treasure will have their first match since the Saudi Cup.
Stewart also likes the distance of Saturday’s race, which will take place one mile from Saratoga’s Wilson Chute. The race marked Hoist the Gold’s return to the mile for the first time since he won the Cigar Mile in front-running fashion by over 4 1/2 lengths Mr. Buscador who praised that effort this year when winning the Saudi Cup.
