Bill Mott

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--After five career starts without a win, enough was enough. It was time for a change for 3-year-old colt Reynolds Channel (West Coast). Or two. Or three. Co-owner Lee Einsidler huddled with Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and the following modifications were made: new distance, new jockey, and an equipment change. "I'm just glad he didn't change trainers," Mott said late Saturday afternoon. Mott could laugh and so could Einsidler because they were both standing in the winner's circle at Saratoga Race Course. Reynolds Channel finally got...

7th-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 3:54 p.m. ET. SAM'S ROCKET (American Pharoah) debuts for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The colt went for $115,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale before going to Frank Fletcher for $925,000 as the second highest price during this year's OBS April Sale. Dam More Roses (Uncle Mo) was purchased by D.C. Goff for $475,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale while Sam's Rocket--her only foal to date--was in utero. The first-time starter's stakes-winning second dam Flattermewithroses (Flatter) also produced two-time GII Santa...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Finally, 'TDN Rising Star' Long Neck Paula (Uncle Mo) gets her chance to run at Saratoga Race Course. The 2-year-old filly, trained by Wesley Ward, is one of 11 entered to run in the 106th running of the $175,000 Listed Schuylerville Stakes on Thursday's opening day card at the Spa. Long Neck Paula was the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the June 6 Astoria S. at Saratoga but didn't get to run after the stewards scratched her. Ward had taken her off the grounds for cold water spa therapy,...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-With the mighty successful prelim--the GI Belmont Stakes--now part of Saratoga's storied history, it is time to move on to the main event. The 40-day racing season, the 156th since the first meet was staged in 1863, commences Thursday with an 11-race program at Saratoga Race Course, America's oldest sporting venue. The listed six-furlong $175,000 Schuylerville S., a graded stakes for 2-year-old fillies through last year, is the traditional opening-day feature. The first post is at 1:10 p.m. By the time the meet concludes on Labor Day, Sept....

4th-ELP, 71K, Msw, f, 2yo, 1mT, 2:21 p.m. The latest to the races for extraordinary broodmare Dynaire, TAKE NOTE OF THIS (Ghostzapper) is a full-sister to GSW and track record-setter Wolfie's Dynaghost and a half to GI Sword Dancer Stakes winner Sadler's Joy (Kitten's Joy). From nine foals to race out of the mare, seven have been winners also including SP Lunaire (Malibu Moon) and SP Dyna Passer (Lemon Drop Kid). Take Note of This, purchased for $550,000 as a yearling at Keeneland last September, races for Douglas Scharbauer out...

Just a week after her younger brother Batten Down took the GIII Ohio Derby, 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla (Tapit) kept the family's good fortune going with a strong win in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday. The 4-5 favorite stutter-stepped slightly coming out of the gate and was at the tail of the field behind fractions of :24.07 and :48.83. Still last into the far turn, the bay filly made rapid progress while five wide approaching the stretch. She drifted in slightly in upper stretch,...

You could say Batten Down has a little bit of family legacy to live up to. The son of champion Close Hatches took a step towards doing just that Saturday at Thistledown with a gate-to-wire win in the GIII Ohio Derby. The full-brother to both MGSW/MGISP Juddmonte sire Tacitus and to GSW Scylla took four tries to break his maiden, finally winning by 8 3/4 emphatic lengths last out at Churchill Downs going 1 1/4 miles Apr. 30. Saturday's Ohio Derby was his first step up from the maiden ranks...

Rich Strike (Keen Ice), who upset the GI Kentucky Derby at 80-1 in 2022, is set to join trainer Bill Mott, according to owner Rick Dawson. Rich Strike was last seen finishing fifth for his former trainer Eric Reed in the 2023 running of the GII Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs. "Richie visited Rood & Riddle this morning for his final ultrasound test," Dawson said in a Facebook post on Thursday. "All went as good as could be expected & better than expectations on several issues - our plan is...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY-A steady rain Sunday morning wasn't going to put a damper on the mood at the barn of trainer Danny Gargan on the Saratoga backstretch. When you have the winner of the GI Belmont S. in one of your stalls, a lousy morning isn't going to feel so bad. And Dornoch (Good Magic), the upset winner of the Belmont, does indeed live in Gargan's barn. "My phone had 290 text messages on it," Gargan said, standing outside his office. "My phone hasn't stopped ringing. He came out of...

She might have been the bridesmaid in last year's running, but no one was taking her 'New York moment' in 2024. Didia (Arg) (m, 6, Orpen--Delambre {Brz}, by Rainbow Corner {GB}) broke well to briefly see open air in the GI New York S.  before eager pacesetters to her outside, namely Royalty Interest (Fr) (Le Havre {Fr}) and Surprisingly (Mastery), stepped out to dispute who would lead the large field of 13. The former ended up at the head of affairs and rolled along through :23.18 and :47.74 fractions as...

8th-Saratoga, $110,000, Alw, 6-7, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:14.96, ft, 8 lengths. JEFFERSON STREET (c, 3, Street Sense--Apiary, by Bernardini), in his second career start, began 2024 with a third-place finish behind Be You (Curlin) at Gulfstream Park in early March. The homebred then splashed home impressively with a nine-length score at Keeneland Apr. 11. Stepping up against optional claimers on the Derby undercard, the dark bay was a well-beaten third before being installed as the 5-2 second choice here. The colt tracked favorite El Capi (Maclean's Music) from the...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Hosting a slew of top-shelf graded stakes action at the Spa is not a new concept. However, doing it the first weekend in June is. The ongoing construction at Belmont Park necessitated a venue change for the next two years, creating a unique opportunity to host a Triple Crown jewel in upstate New York. Admittedly, the decision has sent local accommodation rates into the stratosphere, to the point of hilarity. But, for the diehard fans that want to get a glimpse of history, this year's shift was welcomed....