Highly Motivated

Godolphin homebred Essential Quality (Tapit) gave his connections a few anxious moments in the stretch, but, in the end, he proved why he is a champion with a gutsy score in Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. Saturday evening. Hustling up to contest the early pace, the 1-2 favorite allowed Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) to take control, settling on his outside hip through a :23.83 first quarter and :48.21 half-mile. The top two continued to duke it out as three-quarters went in 1:12.08 with the rest of the field watching...

'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) looks to maintain a spotless record as he stretches out to nine furlongs for the first time while facing a field of nine in this Saturday's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. If this 3-5 morning line favorite were to score a win this weekend, he would, by most accounts, be considered a top choice heading into the GI Kentucky Derby as an undefeated dual Grade I winner. And yet, history would still be working against the Godolphin homebred come the first Saturday...

Chiefswood Stables homebred Weyburn (Pioneerof the Nile), last seen breaking his maiden going seven panels in the local slop Dec. 5, slipped past the bettors and into the winner's circle to post a 46-1 upset in Aqueduct's GIII Gotham S. He fended off Chad Brown trainee Crowded Trade (More Than Ready) to take the head bob, with that one's stablemate Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) a non-threatening third as the 4-5 chalk. Away well from his outside draw, Weyburn locked on to California invader Freedom Fighter (Violence) through splits of :24.29...

After capturing Aqueduct's GIII Withers S. with Risk Taking (Medaglia d'Oro), Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown will continue on the road to Louisville through New York with the talented Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. The one-turn mile contest awards the top-four finishers GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points via a 50-20-10-5 scale. Highly Motivated defeated subsequent GII Remsen S. third-place finisher Known Agenda (Curlin)--a recent 11-length optional claiming winner at Gulfstream--in his Belmont maiden breaker at second asking Sept. 27, then most recently posted an ultra-impressive...

Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) led home a 1-3 finish and became the 81st black-type winner for his sire, establishing a new track record in the opening race of Breeders' Cup weekend. Quick Tempo (Tapizar) won the break and set a slick early pace, as Javier Castellano had the favorite settled from a midfield fifth while glued to the inside. Pinching ground on the turn, Highly Motivated popped off the fence and went on the attack three wide off the home corner, grabbed the front-runner at the sixteenth pole and pulled...