Mott’s Travers Racing Festival contingent scheduled to work this weekend
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is slated for plenty of stakes action for the Travers Racing Festival, most notably with dual graded stakes winner Tacitus, who is looking to earn his first Grade 1 victory when competing in the Travers.
Tacitus captured the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets ahead of a Triple Crown run that included being placed third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in June.
Juddmonte Farm’s gray or roan son of Tapit, out of 2014 Champion Older Filly Close Hatches, was a troubled second in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy presented by NYRA Bets last out, where he stumbled coming out of the gate and was shuffled back to last.
Tacitus made up considerable ground down the back straight and after finding racing room at the top of the stretch, the colt made a strong bid but could not reel in eventual winner Tax.
Mott also plans on saddling dual Grade 1-winner Channel Maker for the Grade 1, $850,000 Sword Dancer Invitational. The Ontario-bred English Channel chestnut gelding was a close fourth in the Grade 2 Bowling Green on July 27 last out, where he was fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length as the lukewarm favorite.
Mott said that both horses will put together their final preparations for next Saturday this upcoming weekend.
“Tacitus is doing well, he’ll probably work over the weekend,” Mott said. “He fell on his face last time and had a wide trip in the Belmont, but I think at this point we have to consider ourselves lucky that he didn’t do a somersault in the last race. Things happen. You get hung up wide and you just hope it works out better the next time.”
A nine-time leading trainer at the Spa, Mott will be seeking his first victory in the “Mid-Summer Derby.”
Mott will attempt to tackle a fourth Sword Dancer victory, having won with Theatrical (1987), Fraise (1992) and Broadway Flyer (1996).
“Channel Maker will probably work on the weekend as well,” Mott said. “He’s a difficult horse to ride. He ran a good race [in the Bowling Green] and I don’t want to make too many excuses. He was heads up for the lead turning for home.”
Mott could double up in the Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign presented by Lia Infiniti. A three-time winner of the 1 1/8-mile event for older fillies and mares, Mott will saddle dual Grade 1 winner Elate as well as Golden Award.
Owned by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschnieder, Elate will enter the Personal Ensign off of two Grade 2 victories in the Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs and the Delaware Handicap, which she won for a second straight year.
Summer Wind Equine’s Golden Award was a winner of the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga last out. The Medaglia d’Oro bay is a half-sister to 2012 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another.
“They will also probably work on the weekend, Sunday or Monday maybe,” Mott said. “We haven’t set it up yet but they’re all scheduled to have a breeze.”
Mott said he is considering the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa for graded stakes winner Mitchell Road, who recently was fifth in the Grade 1 Diana. Mrs. J.V. Shield’s and E.J. McFadden’s halfsister to Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Country House was never off the board in her prior seven starts, which included victories in the Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico and the Albert M. Stall Memorial at Fair Grounds.
“I’m going to look at it and see what the competition looks like. I would only be 5050 at this point,” Mott said.