Classic hopeful Olympiad among five Mott trainees working for Breeders' Cup
Bill Mott worked five of his prospective eight Breeders’ Cup candidates at Saratoga on Friday, led by Classic contender Olympiad, who went five furlongs over the Oklahoma dirt track in 1:00.88 in company with Dirt Mile starter Cody’s Wish.
Track clockers caught that team going three furlongs in 37.40 seconds and galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.80 and seven furlongs in 1:27.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Mott said by phone Friday. “They joined up at the head of the lane and finished together.”
Olympiad has won six of seven starts this year, including the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 3 at Saratoga. Cody’s Wish has won three of four starts this year, most recently upsetting Jackie’s Warrior in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Aug. 27.
Mott also worked Breeders’ Cup Turf contender War Like Goddess, who went a half-mile in 50.34 seconds in company with Sir John, a recent winner of a maiden $40,000 claimer.
“I’m not looking to break any sound barriers with her,” Mott said. “I was hoping for 49, 50, and she was 50-and-a-fifth.”
Mott said Joel Rosario would get the mount back on War Like Goddess for the Breeders’ Cup. Rosario rode War Like Goddess to a pair of victories to begin the year and a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl. Rosario had commitments at Keeneland on Oct. 8, when War Like Goddess won the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct under Jose Lezcano.
Elite Power, who won the Grade 2 Vosburgh in his most recent start to earn a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, worked a half-mile in 48.47 seconds in company with Baby Yoda, recent winner of a one-mile allowance race and possible starter in next Saturday’s Grade 2 Kelso.
Mott said Irad Ortiz Jr. would ride Elite Power in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Frank’s Rockette, pointing to the Filly and Mare Sprint, worked a half-mile in 49.12 seconds in company with Travel Column. Frank’s Rockette is coming off a six-length victory in the Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town on Aug. 26.
Mott also plans to run Obligatory in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Winner of the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff earlier this year, Obligatory was scheduled to work on Saturday in Saratoga.
Mott said Caramel Swirl is no longer under consideration for the Breeders’ Cup.
In Kentucky, Casa Creed worked a half-mile in 50.80 seconds over the main track. Mott said Casa Creed will be pre-entered in the Turf Sprint as a first preference over the Mile.
Mott is also planning to run American Rockette in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She could work over the weekend.
Mott said, as of Friday, his plan is to keep the horses in Saratoga for their final workouts next week and ship to Kentucky next weekend.
“Our training situation here right now is the horses are doing good and we’ve got a beautiful racetrack to train on,” Mott said. “This track is excellent right now because there’s not much traffic on it. It’s almost like a private training center. The weather’s about the same as it is in Kentucky.”
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.