Bill Mott

The 2020 racing season was fraught with many challenges, largely due to the coronavirus pandemic, and halted racing in New York for about three months, continuing to wreak havoc with on-track attendance at many of the nation's racing venues throughout the remainder of the year. And while for many it was a time of turmoil and struggle, it proved to be a banner season for Wachtel Stable, campaigning not one but two Eclipse champions in 2020--Vequist (Nyquist, Champion Juvenile Filly) and Channel Maker (English Channel, Champion Turf Male). "Unfortunately, I...

Annex took his record to two-for-two with a late-closing kick to take the Palm Beach S. at Gulfstream Saturday. Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' when rallying from well back to graduate on debut going a mile here Jan. 16, he was favored at 6-5 to repeat in this black-type bow. Racing in sixth, the chestnut was well back off the pace as Arzak (Not This Time) shot out to a clear lead with about 10 lengths on his closest pursuer Hot Blooded (Declaration of War), who also had daylight on...

Eleven rivals will be waiting to take on recently crowned champion Vequist (Nyquist) in Saturday's GII Davona Dale S. going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park. The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine, campaigned in partnership by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and breeder Swilcan Stable, earned her diploma at second asking with a daylight tally in Saratoga's GI Spinaway S. Sept. 6. Second behind Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) as the 4-5 favorite in the GI Frizette S. at Belmont Oct. 10, she turned the tables on that rival with a two-length...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—A number of trainers with horses engaged in Saturday's Saudi Cup have been unable to travel but their horses and exercise riders have shipped in, mostly over last weekend, for the second running of the $20 million contest at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. The 14-strong field includes two locally-trained horses, Great Scot (GB) (Requinto {Ire}) and Alzahzaah (KSA) (Worldly), who face competition from Britain, Japan and Bahrain as well as five runners from the United States. For most of the American contingent, stronger work had taken place on the...

Now that's a key race. Subsequent runaway Smarty Jones S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun) and authoritative GIII Holy Bull S. hero Greatest Honour (Tapit) were both defeated in second and third, respectively, in a salty, seven-furlong maiden special weight at Belmont Park last fall Oct. 11 (video). But what happened to the impressive winner that day, the highly regarded Godolphin homebred Speaker's Corner (Street Sense--Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini)? "After a minor setback, he is back jogging and hacking at Payson Park with Bill Mott," Godolphin...

It's a philosophy that sustains a stable of Rockets--but it's not rocket science. Anything but, according to Frank Fletcher. "First, you really want to work hard," he says. "Number two, you got to have a stroke of luck. And, number three, when you get lucky and start being successful, you need to surround yourself with people a lot smarter than you are." Let's deal with those in reverse order. Because Fletcher says that the horse we want to discuss is all about the third rule; about the excellence of his...

Albaugh Family Stables' Smiley Sobotka (Brody's Cause), last seen finishing second behind Keepmeinmind (Laoban) in the Nov. 28 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S., makes his sophomore debut in the 1 1/16-mile GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. The chestnut colt tuned up for his return to the races with a four-furlong drill in :46.81 (2/118) at Gulfstream Park last Saturday. Michael Shanley's Nova Rags (Union Rags) makes a return trip to Tampa following his win in the seven-furlong Pasco S. last time out Jan. 16. The...

Kinsman Stable's Crew Dragon (Exaggerator) overcame a case of third-itis and plenty of traffic trouble to graduate by a gritty neck when trying nine furlongs for the first time at Gulfstream Park Sunday for trainer Bill Mott. "Our team was very impressed with the gameness he showed fighting through horses to get them at the wire," Kevin Adler, Kinsman's Vice President and Director of Racing, said. "Bill has liked this horse since the summer and Crew Dragon showed his versatility by getting the mile and an eighth." The Steinbrenner family's...

Let go at a tempting 9-2, Gainesway Stables' homebred White Frost spent a good portion of Saturday's GIII Sweetest Chant S. hemmed away at the inside, but she saved her best for last, as she sprinted past pacesetting favorite Con Lima in the final furlong for a breakthrough graded stakes success. Con Lima, exiting a front-running defeat of Honey Pants (Cairo Prince) in the course-and-distance Ginger Brew S. Jan. 2, hit the ground running and had things very much her own way on the engine, as White Frost settled three...

A year ago, a brigade of American runners dominated results in the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup, taking four of the top five placings in the world's richest race. Another top-level group of U.S.-based horses are set to return to Riyadh for the second running of the 1 1/8-miles race Feb. 20. Leading the group is Charlatan (Speightstown), who returned from a layoff to record a scintillating victory in the Dec. 26 GI Malibu S. last month. The newly turned 4-year-old worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 (1/5) at...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners has acquired a part-interest in recent 'TDN Rising Star' Annex (Constitution) from LNJ Foxwoods, Aron Wellman, Eclipse's managing partner tweeted and then later confirmed via phone Thursday afternoon. "We're in a fortunate position where we've got a good relationship with the Roth family, with Jaime, and I go way, way back with Alex Solis [III] and Jason Litt, their advisors," said Wellman. "That existing relationship certainly helped to be able to open the door for the opportunity to buy into the colt." Sent off at debut odds...

5th-Gulfstream, $40,000, Msw, 1-9, 3yo, 6f, 1:11.28, ft, 9 1/4 lengths. CANDY MAN ROCKET (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}--Kenny Lane, by Forestry) faded to seventh in his career bow in the slop at Churchill Downs Nov. 22 and received Lasix for the first time in this second attempt. Breaking on top, the 7-1 shot was overtaken by Jeebar (Frosted) and settled to stalk from second through a :22.79 opening quarter and :46.11 half-mile. Sweeping to the front entering the lane, the bay charged clear with ease to win for fun...