ELMONT, N.Y.--Graham Motion had three winners on Saturday, May 14, including Highland Chief in the G1, $700,000, 1 3/8 mile Man o' War Stakes on the turf at Belmont.
Highland Chief winning the Man o' War Stakes (Photo by Janet Garaguso)He is also still planning to take Spendarella to England to run in the Coronation Cup at Ascot on Friday, June 17..
"Spendarella will leave on June 7," said Motion. "We'll go over the week of the race. I'll probably breeze her the Monday before the race."
Mrs. Fitriani Hay's Highland Chief, in winning the Man o' War, ran second early on, swung four wide into the stretch and went on to win by 1 length in only his second race in this country.
The 5-year-old stallion had previously run in England, where he was stakes placed.
"He came to me last fall," said Motion. "We gave him a little break and then ran him in an allowance race before this race. He'll run in the Manhattan on Belmont day."
Motion also had two winners at Pimlico on May 14.
Wertheimer et Frere's Serifos won a $46,690, 11/16 mile Maiden Special Weight by 3 lengths, and The Grass is Blue won a $56,000, 5 furlong Allowance Optional Claiming race by 2 3/4 lengths.
"It was a really good day," said Motion. "It's been a while since I had a day that good, Highland Chief is an exciting horse. Grade one races are hard to come by."
MOTION had another stakes winner in True Valour (Ire) at Laurel on April 23.
Larry Johnson's 8-year-old stallion True Valour won the $100,000, 5 1/2 furlong King T. Leatherbury Stakes by 1/2 length.
That was True Valour's fifth stakes win, and he now has earnings of $582,237.
"He'll run in the Jaipur Stakes on Belmont day," said Motion.
Motion has had five other winners over the past few weeks, beginning with Stonestreet Stables' Willakia winning a $100,000, 1 1/16mile turf Maiden Special Weight for3-year-old fillies at Keeneland on April 15.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Speaking Scout won a $110,000. 1 3/16 miles Allowance turf race at Keeneland by 1 length on April 29, Hillwood Stable's Twist'n Twirl won a $49,892, 1 mile Maiden Claiming race at Laurel by a neck on May 1, and Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds' homebred Wet My Beak won a $43,180, 1 1/16 Maiden Claiming race by 3/4 length at Pimlico on May 12.
BERNIE HOUGHTON also had five winners recently, all at Penn National.
Two of the wins were by a horse owned by Edward Madden, with his Screen Star winning a $10,800, 6 furlong Claiming race by a head on April 20, and then running back May 6 to win a $12,058, 6 furlong Claiming race by 1/2 length.
Houghton also saddled two winners for his mother Betsy and one for himself.
Betsy Houghton's Sylmar Farm's homebred Bourbon Music won an $18,000, 6 furlong Starter Optional Claiming race by 3 3/4 lengths on April 22 and ran back May 7 to win a $32,996, 6 furlong Allowance race by 1/2 length.
Bernie's W.M.T. Stable's homebred Chain Reaction won a $21,500, 6 furlong Maiden Claiming race by 41/4 lengths on April 27.
MICHAEL DICKINSON saddled Gallagher's Stud's homebred Rheaume to win a $75,000 1 1/16 mile Maiden Special Weight by 2 lengths at Belmont on April 28.
MICHAEL MATZ saddled Runnymoore Racing's In a Spin to win a a $36,928, 1 mile Starter Optional Claiming race by a neck at Laurel on May 1.
RODNEY JENKINS saddled Hillwood Stable's homebred Hello Amigo to win a $32,700.6 1/2 furlong Maiden Special Weight by 6 1/4 lengths at Charlestown on May 7.
