Bill Mott

Baeza (McKinzie), winner of last term's GI Pennsylvania Derby and an unlucky third after completely missing the break in his 2026 return in the GII Alysheba S. May 1, is aiming to make his next start in a star-studded renewal of the $2-million GI Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs June 27. The 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland is also expected to showcase a highly anticipated rematch between 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day) and 2025 Horse of the Year...

A day after nominations were released for the much-anticipated GI Stephen Foster Stakes, to be held June 27 at Churchill Downs, prime contender and reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief) worked at Saratoga Sunday, breezing five furlongs in 1:02.61 in company under regular work rider Neil Poznansky. After splits of :25.25 for the first quarter and :37.24 for the three-eighths, Sovereignty galloped out six furlongs in 1:17.38. The Godolphin homebred and Bill Mott trainee is scheduled to work one more time before the $2-million highlight of early summer....

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At 7:30 Sunday morning, Cherie DeVaux stood in front of a couple dozen media types and talked all things Golden Tempo (Curlin). There was plenty to say. Moments before, she had brought the big horse out of his stall and Golden Tempo stood in the shedrow, gawked at the horse racing paparazzi and hammed it up. While DeVaux held him with a shank, Golden Tempo stuck his long neck past his trainer and took a bite out of the blanket of white carnations that was draped...

Given a masterful ride from two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat, 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Nysos (h, 5, Nyquist--Zetta Z, by Bernardini) overcame a bit of a tricky trip, but pulled clear from a furlong and a half out to post an impressive victory in Saturday's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga. Fellow 'Rising Star' Knightsbridge completed a noteworthy 1-2 finish for Darley America stallion Nyquist. The Met Mile is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race for the GI Dirt Mile at Keeneland Oct. 31. Looking to...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It was suggested to trainer Brad Cox that Commandment (Into Mischief) was a forgotten horse coming into the 158th running of the $2-million GI Belmont Stakes. "Not with me," Cox said at his office on the Oklahoma Training Track. Then a pause and a smile. "But I know what you mean," he said. "I don't know if he is or not (forgotten). All I know is that he is doing well. I have liked his works since the Derby; I liked how he shipped up here...

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but for the reigning queen of the GII Bed O' Roses Stakes, it proved to be figurative weight she could valiantly bear en route to her title defense. Ways and Means (Practical Joke) looked to be beaten at the head of affairs, but gamely re-rallied in the final yards to nail a wildly unlucky Grand Job (Justify) by a nose in an exciting 2026 running at Saratoga. The Chad Brown trainee has had a very short career the last two seasons--her 2025...

1st-SAR, 115K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 7f, 11:00 a.m. What CROWNING GLORY (Uncle Mo) may lack in race experience, she makes up for in pedigree power. A daughter of Eclipse-winning older mare and MGISW Close Hatches, this filly is a half to a trio of talented runners each sired by the legendary Tapit in MGSW/MGISP Tacitus, GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla and GSW Batten Down. Close Hatches is of course herself a full-sister to SW/MGISP Lockdown, the dam of two-time champion Idiomatic (Curlin). Bill Mott, who...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - By the time 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Chief Wallabee (Constitution) got to the races, Renegade (Into Mischief), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes, already had three starts on his resume. When the Chief won that first career start back on Jan. 10, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott thought he had a nice little horse he could have some fun with. Mott was thinking he had a horse that could do some good at a mile, maybe win the GI Woody...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It is time for another showdown at historic Saratoga Race Course. Golden Tempo (Curlin) and Renegade (Into Mischief), the top two finishers in the GI Kentucky Derby are poised for a rematch in the $2-million GI Belmont Stakes Saturday at America's oldest race track, where many titans of the sport have done battle over three centuries. Separated by a neck in the dramatic finish of the Derby, Golden Tempo, a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', and Renegade are in leading positions of an up-for-grabs 3-year-old...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - As a most memorable May gives way to June, trainer Cherie DeVaux believes that Golden Tempo (Curlin) is ready for his next challenge, the GI Belmont Stakes Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. Four weeks and three works after his dramatic victory in the GI Kentucky Derby, which secured DeVaux a forever place in racing history, Golden Tempo breezed Saturday and shipped Sunday from central Kentucky to upstate New York for the third and final Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. Just before his victory by a neck at...

The trio of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}), Ottinho (Quality Road)and Growth Equity (Nyquist) trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown and the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Chief Wallabee (Constitution) for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott worked Saturday across Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park in preparation for the GI Belmont Stakes at the Spa June 6, the NYRA press office said in a Saturday release. The pair of Ottinho and Growth Equity worked in company over the Belmont Park dirt...

The purse for Churchill Downs's marquee race for older horses, the Grade I Stephen Foster on Saturday, June 27, has been doubled from $1 million to $2 million, according to a press release from the track on Wednesday. Billed as the "Summer Showdown," the 45th running of the 1 1/8-mile dirt race for 4-year-olds--which is part of the Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' Challenge Series--will be broadcast on NBCSN and Peacock from 4:30-6:30 p.m. (all times Eastern). Five of the world's elite dirt horses have already expressed interest in...