Motion Aims to Send out Four in Breeders' Cup

Winning a Breeders' Cup race can be a career-changer for a trainer and nobody knows that better than Graham Motion, who plans to send out a deep roster of horses in this year's event Nov. 4-5 at Santa Anita Park.

In 2004, Motion vaulted into the national spotlight when he sent out Better Talk Now, a horse with a heart bigger than the extension blinker he wore on his right side, to upset the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. I). Since that victory, Motion has won the 2011 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and 2013 Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-I) with Animal Kingdom   and has added Breeders' Cup victories in 2010 with Shared Account in the Emirates Airline Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) and 2014 with Main Sequence in the Longines Turf.

From his Fair Hill, Md. headquarters Oct. 28, Motion talked about the group of horses he will send out for this year's Breeders' Cup:

Stakes winner Happy Mesa, (owner—Great Point Stables, Highclere America, Zoom and Fish Stable, et. al), Juvenile Fillies Turf: "She was purchased privately after she won the Selima (Stakes at Laurel) so we've only had her a short time but she's a very classy, straightforward type. She has a very nice way of going on the turf and we were pleased with her effort over the Santa Anita course (in finishing second in the Surfer Girl Stakes). She showed poise in traffic and went up along the rail in the stretch. We're going to have to draw into the body of the race but there are several in the field who are cross-entered so we're hopeful she'll get in. The race looks very evenly matched so if we get in, I think she'll give a good account of herself."

Happy Mesa worked five furlong in 1:03 Oct. 29 at Santa Anita.

Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) winner Dancing Rags (owner—Chadds Ford Stable), Juvenile Fillies: "She's really been a pleasant surprise. She hadn't really been that impressive in her training leading up to her first start. We run a lot of our babies on the turf the first time because they don't have to contend with the throw back (dirt being thrown back from horses in front of them) so we started her in a turf sprint. She didn't win that day but since then she's just continued to get better and better. We were very pleased with her race at Keeneland (the Alcibiades) and she's continued to train nicely since. I know Baffert has two who have been impressive and Sweet Loretta may be the favorite off her win in the Spinaway (gr. I) but our filly has experience around two turns and as I said before she continues to surprise and impress me so we feel she belongs with these fillies."

Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (gr. IT) winner Miss Temple City (owner—The Club Racing, Allen Rosenblum, and Sagamore Farm) and grade I winner Ring Weekend (owner—St Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds), Mile: "Miss Temple City hasn't done much wrong this year and in the races here (in the U.S.) she's had less than perfect trips when she's been beaten. Of course one of the big questions in this race, which has come up extremely tough and deep in talent, is Tepin. We travelled with her to England when we raced at Ascot and I have a lot of respect for her. She is truly an exceptional race horse. One of reasons we raced Miss Temple City against males twice this year was steering clear of Tepin. Now did her last race (when second to Photo Call in First Lady [gr. IT]) show a chink in her armor, I don't know. I do know our filly is the type who can race close up yet not be on the pace and placement in what figures to be a bulky field could be critical. She's coming up to the race well and I wouldn't trade places with anyone."

"Don't be surprised to see Ring Weekend run a big race next week. He had a foot problem that took quite a bit of time to clear up and he wasn't 100% ready when he ran in the Fourstardave. He came back with a good effort (winning the Bernard Baruch) then last time out, a slow pace took him out of his game. I don't think they'll be any :49 half miles in the Mile and the faster they go early, the better his chances get. He's really found himself since he started racing on the turf and he's as good as he's been all year. I'm cautiously optimistic about the chances for both he and Miss Temple City although I have a lot of respect for a number of others in the field. Limato is a remarkable horse and I believe is the best of the Euros. These races often boil down to racing luck, hopefully both our horses have clean trips and get a chance to show what they can do. That's all you can hope for."

Ring Weekend worked five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 Oct. 29 at Keeneland.