Motion 'Fortunate' to Have Trikari

Trainer Graham Motion expressed his gratitude for his 32nd career grade 1 victory as Amerman Racing's Trikari  got his head down in time to capture the $727,500 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) at Aqueduct Racetrack July 6.

The win made the son of Oscar Performance   the first grade 1 victor for his sire, and marked the first top-level score for Motion since taking the Hollywood Derby (G1T) with Speaking Scout  in December 2022 at Del Mar.

"It's huge. I didn't realize I hadn't won a grade 1 since 2022, and they are really hard to come by," said Motion. "You see other trainers winning them all the time and it's hard to do. You've got to have really good horses, and I feel very fortunate to have a horse of that caliber."

Trikari scored in a thrilling stretch drive that saw the Flavien Prat-piloted White Palomino  attempt to wire the field after setting moderate splits. Trikari, under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, took a narrow advantage in the stretch after stalking in second throughout and ran on strongly as a resurgent White Palomino made one final try along the inside. Trikari would not be denied and dug in bravely to post the head victory in a final time of 1:54.71.

"I wasn't 100% sure he held on because Flavien came back at him, but Johnny said it was more that he kind of got to waiting a little bit," said Motion. "He made the lead a little quicker than he wanted him to, which is interesting because Flavien said the same of his horse. Both horses were sort of victims of not wanting to be there at that time."

The win was the second graded conquest this year for Trikari, who stunned at 47-1 with a 1 1/2-length triumph in the American Turf (G2T) at Churchill Downs May 4. Aside from a distant off-the-board effort on debut, Trikari has hit the board in each of his last six outings, his only two losses coming by a neck when second in an allowance-level sprint in February at Gulfstream Park and third in the May 31 Penn Mile (G3) at Penn National ahead of the Belmont Derby.

"I was a little amused that he was once again not respected, which is great for the people that keep betting him," Motion said. "It's just funny because he really hasn't done anything wrong. He was green first time and he's two necks short of being undefeated since then. He got overlooked at Churchill and I can see why, but he keeps showing up and I feel very fortunate to have him."

Motion said his only concern with Trikari is spacing between races, noting that he is a horse that thrives on training and racing, but has run three races in two months. Motion added he may decide to skip the $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 3 to target lucrative seven-figure races in September at Kentucky Downs, or the one-mile Secretariat (G2T) on August 10 at Colonial Downs.

"He's got a great attitude and is a good-feeling, happy 3-year-old colt, and I think sitting on him is difficult," said Motion. "I'm trying to decide if we should go to Saratoga because he's kind of dancing every dance here at the moment. Kentucky Downs is very appealing with a huge purse. The race at Colonial would be interesting shortening back up to the mile and gives him an extra week. I think that's helpful."

Trikari is now nearing millionaire status with total earnings of $996,630. He is out of the Motion-trained graded stakes-winner Dynamic Holiday  and was a $27,500 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales October Yearling Sale.