Mott Becomes Seventh Trainer to Win 5,000 Races
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott at Belmont Park
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott became only the seventh trainer in history to record 5,000 wins when Moon Over Miami notched a one-length score June 20 in the third race at Churchill Downs.
The 66-year-old Mott, inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1998, took out his trainer's license at 16 in 1969. Throughout his storied career, the South Dakota native has won some of the world's most prestigious races, including the 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) with Country House via disqualification, the 1996 Dubai World Cup (G1) with Cigar, and the 2010 Belmont Stakes (G1) with Drosselmeyer.
Mott was at Belmont Park on Saturday, but his longtime assistant trainer, Kenny McCarthy, and veteran exercise rider Penny Gardiner were on hand to accept the accolade.
Moon Over Miami gives Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his 5,000th win
"It was nice to finally get it out of the way," Mott said later Saturday afternoon at Belmont. "It's a great milestone and it gives you some bragging rights. It puts you in a club with a handful of great trainers."
Mott began his career under the tutelage of fellow Hall of Famer Jack Van Berg throughout most of the 1970s until he decided to open his own stable in 1976. Over the next four decades, Mott trained six champions and 121 grade 1 winners. Among the top horses under Mott's care were 1995-96 champion older horse and Horse of the Year Cigar, champion 3-year-old filly of 2011 and older female of 2012-13 Royal Delta, and 1998 champion older female Escena.
He won Eclipse Awards as outstanding trainer in 1995, 1996, and 2011.
Fittingly, Mott's 5,000th victory came at Churchill Downs, the site of much of his early success. He was the all-time winningest trainer there until Dale Romans surpassed his mark in 2017.
Mott ranks seventh in all-time wins behind Dale Baird (9,445), Steve Asmussen (8,873), Jerry Hollendorfer (7,651), Van Berg (6,523), King Leatherbury (6,503), and Scott Lake (6,104).