By Alan Carasso
East Coast shipper Reef Runner (The Big Beast) crossed the wire narrowly first in Saturday's GIII Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar, but was disqualified and placed second, as Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) was elevated to the victory, completing a three-peat in the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint over the same course and distance on Nov. 1. It was the 7-year-old gelding's third consecutive win in the race.
Reef Runner was one of the first away from his double-digit box, but came over on Queen Maxima (Bucchero) to his immediate inside, forcing her into Boss Sully (Street Boss). In the process, Motorious was pinched back and steadied by Antonio Fresu, losing significant momentum before taking up a position at the back of the pack.
On the pointy end, the fleet Boss Smart (Stanford) made play as he has in each of his last 16 starts, getting the opening quarter in :21.44 with company from longshot Virat (Bayern). Lopez had Reef Runner in and amongst horses into the turn, but was more or less gifted an inside passage approaching the stretch and was shifted inside of Sorrento Sky (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) at the three-sixteenths. Reef Runner skimmed the fence in the final furlong and found the wire first, as Motorious, who just missed in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, came with a stinging rally down the center of the course to just miss, but the placings were ultimately reversed. Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy) also flew up the rail to grab third.
“If that had not happened at the start, he would have won by two (lengths),” Fresu opined. “It's a five-furlong race, and I lost so many lengths. I checked him pretty hard. When I pulled him out, the way he finished from the quarter pole to the wire, it was impressive. He just put it in another gear. Usually when this happens in a race at this distance, they never come back like that.”
Also the winner of the GII Joe Hernandez Stakes down the hill at Santa Anita last Dec. 28, Motorious had a single run under his belt this term, a 1 1/4-length score in the GIII Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita June 14. Trainer Phil D'Amato said that he will train his charge up to the Breeders' Cup as he did 12 months ago.
Pedigree Notes:
Motorious was purchased by Craig Rounsefell's Boomer Bloodstock for 220,000gns ($313,956) out of the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale and he has now won half of his 16 starts in this country.
Motorious's siblings have proven appealing at public auction. His 4-year-old half-brother Matters Most (GB) (Advertise {GB}) was a 500,000gns ($601,301) TATOCT yearling in 2022, while the 3-year-old Topwarrior (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) fetched 220,000gns ($279,211) at the same auction 12 months on. Squash's current 2-year-old Black Orchid (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) was a 420,000gns ($564,796) purchase by Amo Racing at TATOCT last fall and is under the care of Richard Fahey.
Saturday, Del Mar
GREEN FLASH H.-GIII, $153,500, Del Mar, 8-30, 3yo/up, 5fT, :55.90, fm.
1–MOTORIOUS (GB), 125, g, 7, by Muhaarar (GB)
1st Dam: Squash (GB) (MGSP-Eng),
by Pastoral Pursuits (GB)
2nd Dam: Super Midge (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
3rd Dam: Sabina (GB), by Prince Sabo (GB)
(55,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; 220,000gns 3yo '21 TATAHI). O-Anthony Fanticola; B-Kirtlington Stud & Mrs Mary Taylor (GB); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Antonio Fresu. $90,000. Lifetime Record: GISP, 23-10-5-2, $957,604. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Reef Runner, 120, g, 4, The Big Beast–Paradise Bay, by Blame. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Alex Lieblong & JoAnn Lieblong (FL); T-David Fawkes. $30,000.
3–Beyond Brilliant, 119, h, 7, Twirling Candy–Summer On the Lawn, by First Defence. ($50,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '20 EASMAY). O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich III, John D. Fielding & Robert L. Tribbett (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs. $18,000.
Margins: 1, NO, NK. Odds: 1.80, 18.50, 47.20.
Also Ran: No Nay Hudson (Ire), Book Smart, Queen Maxima, Sorrento Sky (Ire), Sumter, Boss Sully, Virat, First Peace, Wound Up. Scratched: Coppola, Mucho Del Oro, Re Armed Jon.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Hit the wiiiiiiiire together! 🎙️
Reef Runner crossed the finish in front but the CHRB Stewards named Motorious the victor in the Grade III Green Flash Handicap. pic.twitter.com/Y86OIls2Nw
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) August 31, 2025
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
