Stacked Mott Barn Has Seven for Belmont Festival Stakes

Bill Mott has undoubtedly had some big seasons in 50 years as a trainer. In the three years he was honored with an Eclipse Award as Outstanding Trainer, his horses earned $11.7 million (1995), $11.7 million (1996), and $10.7 million (2011). Yet none of those stretches came close to the personal mark he set in 2022, with $16,848,340 in earnings (fifth in North America), thanks in no small part to high-profile wins by the likes of Cody's Wish , Elite Power , War Like Goddess , and Casa Creed . 

With those four legitimate superstars back in 2023—and all of them running this weekend in major events that are part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival—one could argue the Mott barn has never been this stacked. The nine grade 1 victories Mott posted in 2022—with seven different horses—equaled his most since 2011 and were second only to the 12 he had in 1995, when the unconquerable Cigar alone accounted for eight of them.

Mott already has two grade 1 scores this year, with many of the biggest targets still to come later in the calendar, and more than $6.4 million in North American earnings, plus an extra $1 million or so with a win from Elite Power and a second by Casa Creed in sprint stakes on the rich Saudi Cup card.  

The only era Mott could compare his current run to was a two-year stretch 11 to 12 years back when he could often look down the shed row to see Royal Delta , Flat Out  , Ron the Greek , To Honor and Serve , and Drosselmeyer  all staring back at him.

"I was very lucky to keep Cody's Wish and Elite Power in training and very fortunate to keep a mare like War Like Goddess going," Mott said. "Any one of those could have been retired for either stud purposes or going to the broodmare band. I'm extremely grateful for that this year because I didn't have many 3-year-olds to take up the slack had they been retired."

The 3-year-old stakes are practically the only ones this weekend in which Mott won't be prominent. His barn is represented in seven graded stakes, including four of the grade 1 events.

Friday

Mott's stakes action kicks off with Wakanaka  in the $500,000 Just a Game (G1T) for turf females. The 5-year-old mare by Power  was second in the race last year behind Regal Glory  but ahead of the two Chad Brown runners back in this edition. Last time out, Wakanaka was fourth in the Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (G2T) on Kentucky Derby Day.

"She fell back a little bit and closed well," Mott said. "She needs to be a little closer than that."

Next up will be ultra-consistent turf marathoner War Like Goddess, coming off her third time winning Keeneland's 1 1/2-mile Bewitch Stakes (G3T), shortening up for the $600,000 New York Stakes (G1T) at 1 1/4 miles. 

"She's more proven at a mile and three [-eighths] and a mile and a half, I suppose," Mott said. "But going that distance, hopefully, if there's enough pace in there, an honest pace, I think that'll help."

The two-mile $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup (G2T) features the remarkable Channel Maker , making his 53rd start. The 9-year-old English Channel gelding was sixth in last month's Man o' War (G1).

"He got beat a half a length for second money in a grade 1 last time, so it wasn't a bad race," Mott said. "If he tails way off, naturally, we'll call it a day, but as long as he's enthusiastic about his training and doing well, we don't see anything about the situation that calls for us to not go forward, as long as he's doing well."

The Friday finale is the $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes (G3T), a turf sprint in which Mott will saddle Poppy Flower , a 4-year-old filly by Lea  , whom Mott also trained.

"She's a very consistent, fun filly to have," Mott said. "She just always shows up. She puts in a good effort and she's always subject to be competitive in a race like this. You know, it's her distance and her surface."

Saturday

Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Elite Power could be the heaviest favorite on the Belmont Day program, assigned 4-5 on the morning line in the $250,000 True North Stakes (G2). Juddmonte's 5-year-old Curlin   horse is the consensus top dirt sprinter in the world, with the only question mark being how he's recovered from a long trip to the Middle East. 

"He seems as good as he was when he went to Saudi," said Mott.

The $400,000 Jaipur Stakes (G1T) is one of the few grade 1 turf sprints on the calendar and therefore always attracts the best of the division. Casa Creed seeks to become the race's first three-time winner. 

"He came back from Saudi and seems to be doing as well as he was last year going into this race," Mott said.

The onslaught of Mott wraps up with a race he has never won, the $1 million Metropolitan Handicap (G1), and a horse that has captured hearts for both his talent and his bond with namesake Cody Dorman. Cody's Wish, the 5-year-old by Curlin, has won five in a row over the past 13 months. Sunday morning he prepped for the Met Mile with a :46 4/5 half-mile warning shot around the Oklahoma training track across from Saratoga Race Course.  

"He was aggressive jumping into the work," Mott said. "He went off maybe a little quick but that just shows that he was anxious to do it. I mean, the work was good, visually, looking at it. It didn't look like he went that quick, but he covers a lot of ground."

The depth of Mott's barn is not just about owners sending him fast horses. With superstars ranging in age from 5 to 9, Mott has no equal when it comes to keeping elite-level older horses at the top of their game year after year.  

"It goes through cycles, I guess," Mott said. "I've been very lucky to have at least a couple of good horses in the barn every year. You go down the list and it seems like every year we've been lucky enough to have something, but this year we're certainly well represented in several different spots.

"It makes it easy to go to work in the morning."