Motion decides risk of running Nagirroc off short rest in Futurity is worth potential reward
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It is not Graham Motion’s modus operandi to run a horse back in two weeks, but when you train a horse that may be Breeders’ Cup worthy, sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone.
“It’s that time of year, right?” Motion said.
Indeed it is. That’s why Motion will run Nagirroc in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity Stakes at Aqueduct, and a win by him or any of the seven horses in the field earns a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Nov. 4 at Keeneland.
Nagirroc, the reverse spelling of his original trainer and part-owner Jim Corrigan, was purchased privately by Madaket Stables, Little Red Feather Racing, and William Straus following a second-place finish at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Aug. 22. Motion ran him in a six-furlong maiden race on Sept. 24 at Aqueduct, and the horse broke on top under Manny Franco, shed some token pressure, and edged clear to a 3 1/2-length victory.
“When they bought him they said he broke a step slow in his first race and that’s why he didn’t win,” Motion said. “The only thing I said to Manny last time was make sure he breaks. Then he ends up on the lead and goes in [1:08] and change.”
Motion is of the belief that it’s easier to bring a 2-year-old than an older horse back on short rest, a theory he plans to test in the Futurity.
“You only get one shot,” Motion said. “He’s done well since; he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s a pretty cool horse to be around. It’s a gamble, but that’s why we do this.”
Motion is stabled at Fair Hill, as is Phil Schoenthal, the trainer of the filly Determined Jester, who also runs in the Futurity. Schoenthal, who calls Motion “a great friend,” planned to scratch Determined Jester out of Saturday’s Matron versus fillies to run Sunday against colts.
Schoenthal said he likes the idea of a shorter field – the Matron drew 12 – and also noted that it’s not Motion’s usual course to wheel back in two weeks and Nagirroc could perhaps be vulnerable.
Determined Jester beat males in the Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs. She was 35-1 that day, coming off a fourth-place finish as the favorite in a maiden race three weeks earlier.
Schoenthal explained that Determined Jester showed signs of being in heat coming out of that maiden race and also displaced her palate.
With those issues corrected for the Rosie’s, Schoenthal said Determined Jester “got back to the kind of horse we thought she was all along.”
“I think I come up there with a live chance,” he said.
Forest Boyce rides Determined Jester from post 8.
Gaslight Dancer overcame post 12 to win a maiden race by five lengths at Kentucky Downs for trainer Mike Maker, who also has Bourbon Therapy entered in the Futurity. Bourbon Therapy is cross-entered in Sunday’s Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland.
Inflation Nation won a maiden race in her second start and is trained by Christophe Clement. Dunedin, Vacation Dance, and Power Attack complete the field.
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