Down the Shedrow with Bill Mott

Bill Mott was just 16 years old when he won his first stakes race in his home state of South Dakota. It was only fitting that 1998, just 29 years later, he would become the youngest trainer to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame at age 45.

While the now 62-year-old has trained his share of champions, much of his success in the late nineties, including two of his three Eclipse awards, came with the help of Cigar, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame four years after his conditioner. Mott trained the four-time Eclipse winner to 16 straight victories between October 1994 and July 1996, including 10 Grade Is and the inaugural Dubai World Cup.

With his wealth of knowledge and experience, patient tactics and a plethora of top owners behind him, Mott always has his share of standouts in the barn. The current stable stars include graded stakes winners Carina Mia (Malibu Moon), Speightster (Speightstown) and Harmonize (Scat Daddy), but the conditioner also has several promising young horses that look poised to climb the ladder.

CARINA MIA (f, 3, Malibu Moon)

Three Chimneys Farm's Carina Mia followed her “TDN Rising Star”-worthy second-out graduation last fall with an equally impressive victory in Churchill's GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 28. Making a belated sophomore bow due to a quarantine at Mott's winter base at Payson Park, she checked in fourth after setting the early pace in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. Apr. 9, which left her short on points to make it into the GI Kentucky Oaks field. With the Oaks out of the picture, Mott sent the dark bay to the seven-furlong GII Eight Belles S. May 6 (video) and she proved that decision worth while with a dominant six-length victory.

“She's a possibility for the [GI] Acorn [S. at Belmont June 11].”

(Also possible for the Acorn is Kentucky Oaks winner and fellow “TDN Rising Star” Cathryn Sophia {Street Boss}.)

TAKE THE STAND (ARG) (h, 5, Not For Sale {Arg})

A four-time winner in his native Argentina, Take the Stand joined the Mott barn last summer and scored his first U.S. victory in his second start at Saratoga Sept. 5. Off the board in his next two efforts, the Earle Mack, Wachtel Stable and Brous Stable runner began to turn the corner this term, starting with a runner-up effort in the GIII Tampa Bay S. Feb. 13 and continuing with a wire-to-wire score last time in the GII Mervin Muniz Memorial H. Mar. 26 (video). Originally scheduled to run in last Saturday's GII Dixie S. at Pimlico, he was scratched due to soft turf.

“He'll be nominated for the [GI] Manhattan [S. at Belmont June 11].”

CELESTINE (f, 4, Scat Daddy)

Phaedrus Flights' Celestine went on a four-race win streak for Mott last spring, following her maiden win with a trio of stakes victories. A head-scratching 10th in last November's GII Mrs. Revere S., she was second in the Tropical Park Oaks Dec. 19 and third in her seasonal bow in the Sand Springs S. Feb. 27. The dark bay earned her first graded success last time in Hallandale's GII Honey Fox S. Apr. 2 (video).

“She could go in the [GI] Just a Game [S. on the GI Belmont S. undercard June 11].”

SPEIGHTSTER (c, 4, Speightstown)

An impressive debut winner at Keeneland last April, “TDN Rising Star” Speightster followed suit with a decisive allowance score at Belmont that June and a game victory over GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in the GIII Dwyer S. (video) a month later. Subsequently sidelined after having surgery to remove an ankle chip, the WinStar homebred made his highly anticipated return to the races in the GII Churchill Downs S. May 7, where he faded to finish eighth of nine as the 3-1 favorite.

“Obviously we were disappointed in the effort, so we are looking forward to a better effort next time. I think the [GI Metropolitan H. June 11] is probably off the table for the moment. “

DUBAI SKY (c, 4, Candy Ride {Arg})

A second-out graduate in September 2014, Dubai Sky captured a grassy Gulfstream allowance exactly three months later and annexed the Kitten's Joy S. a month after that. Last seen winning the GIII Spiral S. (video) in March of last year, the Three Chimneys Farm and Besilu Stables colorbearer fractured a cannon bone a few weeks after that victory, which required surgery. He returned to the worktab Apr. 23 and most recently breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Churchill Downs May 23.

“He's getting closer [to racing]. Maybe within the next month we will be looking at the condition book.”

HARMONIZE (f, 3, Scat Daddy)

Harmonize broke her maiden in Saratoga's P.G. Johnson S. last September and won Keeneland's GIII Jessamine S. a month later. Seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Oct. 30, the Larkin Armstrong runner made her sophomore debut a winning one in Gulfstream's Sanibel Island H. Mar. 26 (video) and was a close third to reigning Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse (City Zip) after stumbling at the start of Churchill's GIII Edgewood S. May 6.

“She's a possible for the Wonder Again [S. June 5 at Belmont]. I'm disappointed we didn't win [the Edgewood].”

APOLOGYNOTACCEPTED (m, 5, Fusaichi Pegasus)

Apologynotaccepted was a tabbed a “TDN Rising Star” after romping by 16 lengths in her belated career bow for breeder Happy Alter and trainer David Kassen at Gulfstream Mar. 11 (video). Bought into by Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable after that impressive debut, the dark bay was transferred to Mott and finished second in an Apr. 15 Keeneland allowance.

“She's fine. She could run Belmont weekend possibly.”

VYJACK (g, 6, Into Mischief)

Winner of the 2014 GII Kelso H. for previous conditioner Rudy Rodriguez, Vyjack was transferred to Mott last summer, who switched the bay to the grass and he finished second in the GIII Poker S. in his first outing for this barn. Third in the Forbidden Apple S. last July, the gelding was off the board in his next two starts, but captured his 2016 debut in a grassy Keeneland allowance Apr. 21 (video).

“He will probably work at the end of the week. We've got a few races in mind. He could possibly go to Canada for the [GII] Connaught Cup [June 5].”

WESSEX (f, 3, Unbridled's Song) 

Juddmonte homebred Wessex donned cap and gown at odds of 9-1 in her Gulfstream Park unveiling Apr. 2 (video) and was a solid third in last Friday's Hilltop S. at Pimlico. The gray is a half to G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet winner Announce (GB) (Selkirk) and French Group 3 winner Mexican Gold (Medaglia d'Oro).

“She ran well and there is nothing on the schedule yet.”

CROWN QUEEN (m, 5, Smart Strike–Delta Princess, A.P. Indy)

Mott also reported that “TDN Rising Star” Crown Queen, a daughter of blue hen Delta Princess, has been retired from racing. A half-sister to three-time Eclipse winner and fellow Mott trainee Royal Delta (Empire Maker), she was purchased by Besilu Stables, who also campaigned her two-time Breeders' Cup-winning sister, for $1.6 million as a weanling at the 2011 Keeneland November sale. Third in her first two attempts as a juvenile, the dark bay proved unstoppable as sophomore, graduating in her 3-year-old debut over the Belmont lawn in the summer of 2014 and winning a grassy Saratoga allowance a month later. Capturing the Spa's GII Lake Placid S. that August, she ended her career on a high note with a 3/4-length success over eventual GISW Ball Dancing (Exchange Rate) in the 2014 GI QEII Challenge Cup S. (video). Crown Queen retired with a record of 6-4-0-2 and earnings of $593,000.