Motion Thrilled to be at F-T Saratoga Sale

Andrew Motion’s life has come full circle.

Motion, who has a one-horse consignment to the Saratoga selected yearling sale, worked on the Fasig-Tipton muck crew when he was young and accompanied his father, prominent bloodstock agent Michael Motion, to the auction.

Over the years Motion worked for other consignors at the Saratoga sale and has sold horses through Fasig-Tipton at Midlantic and in Kentucky, but he is now at the Aug. 8-9 Saratoga sale with a horse of his own.

"It's a thrill to be at Saratoga," said Motion as he assisted buyers inspecting Hip 202, a Ghostzapper   filly produced from the winning Elusive Quality   mare Amber Grace, a half sister to multiple group I winner Russian Rhythm and group II winner Perfectperformance.

Motion and his brother, top trainer Graham Motion, were both born in Cambridge, England, and relocated to the U.S. with their father in 1980.

Along with his wife, Janie, Andrew Motion operates Old Chapel Farm, a two-tract farm of about 75 acres near Upperville, Va., and in close proximity to the former Newstead Stud. In addition to pinhooking four or five horses a year, Motion handles layups for his brother.

"Saratoga has been in the fabric of our life since our dad first brought us here in 1978," Motion said. "When I was a kid I worked on the Fasig-Tipton muck crew at Saratoga. My dad was always here. I also worked for Russell Jones and for other farms."

Since establishing his pinhooking operation four years ago, Motion has been able to reinvest and move up the ladder.

"You give yourself a much better shot if you have better quality horses," the consignor said.

When Motion purchased the Ghostzapper filly for $65,000 from the Paramount Sales consignment at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, she was immature and yet still had a quality he liked.

"She was very immature but she a big walk on her," he recalled. "Even though she was immature every time I went to see her she came out and did the same thing. In the last six weeks she has really flourished. She is a real classy filly." With a female family rich in quality, the filly is the type Motion said he would acquire if he were putting together a broodmare band.

As a bonus, Motion noted, the filly was bred by Blackstone Farm in Pennsylvania and qualifies for that state's incentive awards program.

Despite Saratoga's history of producing high-wattage purchases, Motion is keeping his expectations grounded.

“I bought her sensibly so I’m not going to be looking for crazy money,” he said. “I have reasonable expectations. To make a little money, reinvest it and keep growing our operation.”