Graham Motion

SUNDAY'S RACING INSIGHTS: By Christie DeBernardis Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency BROWN UNVEILS JUDDMONTE BLUE-BLOOD 3rd-BEL, $63K, Msw, 2yo, 6fT, 2:04 p.m. Juddmonte Farms homebred REALM OF LAW (War Front) makes his career bow in Elmont for trainer Chad Brown. The gray's dam is GSW & MGISP Filimbi (Mizzen Mast), who is a daughter of MGISW millionaire Flute (Seattle Slew). This is also the family of GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft) and GSW Current (Curlin). Todd Pletcher unveils another juvenile of intrigue in the Coolmore contingent's Fighting Force (Air Force...

Wertheimer and Frere homebred Alda (Munnings) will attempt to keep her hot streak going and secure a post in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Sunday in Woodbine's GI Natalma S. A second-out graduate at Belmont July 9, the Graham Motion trainee captured the Catch a Glimpse S. going 6 1/2 panels on the local lawn Aug. 23. Finishing second that day was Dreaming of Drew (Speightster), who romped by six lengths in her main track graduation here July 18. Jimmy Toner ships one in who...

Talented 'TDN Rising Star' Sharing returned to winning ways back on this side of the pond as the public's pick. Beaten a neck in third in her Saratoga unveiling last July, the well-bred chestnut romped in a seven-furlong off the turfer there in August before justifying heavy 1-2 favoritism in Laurel's Selima S. in September. She was let go at 13-1 for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 1, but the result was the same, and she picked up right where she left off when...

'TDN Rising Star' and Breeders' Cup heroine Sharing (Speightstown), who represented America valiantly when sent to Royal Ascot last out, will make her return to the States as a likely prohibitive favorite in Friday's GII Edgewood S. at Churchill Downs. Closing fast to be a narrow third debuting at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Saratoga turf last July, she earned her 'Rising Star' badge when proving her versatility with a 6 1/4-length off-the-turf graduation next out. Capturing the Selima S. at Laurel, she scored at 13-1 in the GI Breeders'...

Bye Bye Melvin took to the rain-soaked turf well at Saturday Saturday, upsetting the GIII Saranac S. at 19-1. Stalking from a joint second through a glacial opening quarter in :27.17, the bay sat back a bit in third, letting Embolden (The Factor) move up to contest the pace with leader Don Juan Kitten through a half in :51.54. Under a ride approaching the far turn, Bye Bye Melvin was churning up sod as he brushed with his neighbor Bodecream (Bodemeister) at the top of the lane, but found his...

'TDN Rising Star' Alda got up in the shadow of the wire to take Sunday's Catch a Glimpse S. narrowly over a fellow granddaughter of Speightstown in Dreaming of Drew (Speightster). A fast-finishing third against the boys going five grassy furlongs at Belmont June 12, the chestnut broke through convincingly over an extra eighth of a mile there July 9. Drifting up to 5-2 at the off after vying for favoritism early with big-figure second-out graduate Dreaming of Drew, the Wertheimer homebred dropped out the back early and a snug...

After spending many years helping to teach incarcerated inmates life skills and equine care, a lot of 10 retired Thoroughbreds boarded a van July 23 bound for Pasture of Point Lookout, a Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania-based sanctuary farm founded by world-renowned artist Jamie Wyeth in memory of his late wife Phyllis. On the anniversary of her passing Mr. Wyeth turned to longtime friends, Graham and Anita Motion of Herringswell Stables. "To honor my late wife, Phyllis Mills Wyeth and her Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, I am transforming our farm into...

Working in racing has always been a stressful occupation; a roller-coaster of emotions, triumphs and tragedies, long hours and travel. Add a global pandemic and unprecedented economic worry, with many participants fearing for their health, livelihoods and businesses, and the stress can become almost overwhelming. It's the sort of topic many people don't like to talk about, but we asked several industry participants to open about what particular GRAHAM MOTION  It is a stressful sport to be involved in, but at the end of the day, it's still a sport....

Cat's Pajamas (Street Sense) looks to score her third straight win as she steps up to black-type company Sunday in the GII Lake Placid S. at Saratoga. Off the board in her first two attempts on the main track for former trainer Bill Mott, the bay was transferred to Graham Motion, who switched her to the grass. Graduating in her turf bow at Churchill May 17, she captured an allowance on the lawn at Belmont June 14. Lashara (GB) (American Pharoah) was the runner-up in that Belmont allowance and takes...

ALDA (Munnings) became the newest 'TDN Rising Star' Thursday with a decisive score at Belmont Park. Rallying to be third on debut in a five-panel event at this oval June 12, she was hammered down to even-money to improve over an extra furlong here. Saving ground in a joint third, the homebred was several lengths off the dueling leaders through a sharp first quarter in :21.89. Closing the gap entering the backstretch, the homebred split horses with a three-wide move turning for home and overtook Illegal Smile (Ire) (Camacho {GB})...

Forget Junes in years past. Forget the top hat and tailcoat. Forget the long airline flight to London. Forget the face mask and gloves. It's a new world in 2020 for those who love top-quality horse racing and believe that "mass follows class" on both sides of the Atlantic. Now in the light of COVID-19, the unique Royal Ascot meet will take place on the same heath behind closed doors for the first time since 1711, when Queen Anne decreed that the beautiful flatland just a mile or so from...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway Stable's Sharing (Speightstown), winner of last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, remains on course for Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation S. June 21. Sharing, winner of the May 23 Tepin S. at Churchill Downs, is trained by Maryland-based Graham Motion. "She is doing really well since she last ran," said Motion. "The weather here has been beautiful and I think that has really helped. Everything has been going pretty smoothly so far." Victorious in three of four starts last season, including...