Motion has two contenders in Sycamore Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Graham Motion already has won three graded stakes at the Keeneland fall meet. And now here’s a race right in his wheelhouse.

Motion will send out the uncoupled duo of Up With the Birds and Street Fashion as part of a full field of older turf marathoners Thursday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Sycamore Stakes. Motion has won the 1 1/2-mile race in three of the last five runnings, with Sanagas in 2011 and Holiday Star in 2014-15.

With a bankroll of more than $1.8 million, Up With the Birds is easily the leading earner in this 22nd running of the Sycamore and could come a slight favorite in a well-balanced lineup. The 6-year-old Sam-Son Farm homebred will have Robby Albarado aboard when he breaks from post 5 in an oversubscribed race limited to 14 starters.

Street Fashion (post 13, Edgar Prado), bred and owned by the Augustin Stable of George Strawbridge Jr., has come into form in recent months and figures as one of a half-dozen or so viable challengers to his stablemate. Augustin has won the Sycamore a record six times.

The graded stakes winners at this meet for Motion were Dancing Rags (Grade 1 Alcibiades), Miss Temple City (Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile), and Miss Ella (Grade 3 Franklin County). His 31 career stakes wins at Keeneland are fourth-best in track history, trailing only D. Wayne Lukas (50), Todd Pletcher (49), and Bill Mott (41).

Besides the Motion duo, other Sycamore contenders include a trio trained by Mike Maker: Bigger Picture (post 1, Jose Ortiz), Greengrassofyoming (post 3, Florent Geroux), and Generous Kitten (post 10, Julien Leparoux). Other possibilities include Renown (post 4, Angel Cruz) and Bullards Alley (post 8, Marcelino Pedroza), who finished seventh in the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic over the Churchill Downs dirt.

“That came up way too tough for a $175,000 race,” said Tim Glyshaw, who trains Bullards Alley for Wayne Spalding and Faron McCubbins. “He gives his all every time, and we’re expecting a much-improved result this time.”

The Sycamore goes as the eighth of nine races on a Thursday card that includes two allowances (races 3 and 7) and starts at the usual 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The feature is set for 4:57.

The filly-and-mare counterpart to the Sycamore, the Grade 3 Dowager, will be run here Sunday.

KEY CONTENDERS

Up With the Birds, by Stormy Atlantic

Last 3 Beyers: 94-95-97

◗ He’s a six-time stakes winner, including the Grade 1 Jamaica as a 3-year-old and two runnings of the Grade 2 Nijinsky over the Woodbine turf, so he’s clearly the class of the race.

Bigger Picture, by Badge of Silver

Last 3 Beyers: 94-97-95

◗ Rail draw in this three-turn race should allow this 5-year-old gelding to save ground.

◗ His trainer, Maker, won the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine on Sunday with Al’s Gal.

Renown, by Champs Elysees

Last 3 Beyers: 87-94-91

◗ Bred in England by Juddmonte Farms, this 5-year-old gelding has won half of his eight starts since being imported into the United States, including two ungraded turf stakes.

Bullards Alley, by Flower Alley

Last 3 Beyers: 81-96-90

◗ He won the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap on the Churchill turf in May and has a second and a third in his two starts over the turf at Keeneland.