Motion seeks elusive Diana win with Secret Message

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s often said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

When it comes to the Grade 1 Diana Stakes at Saratoga, trainer Graham Motion is out of his mind.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s become a bit of an obsession of mine,” said Motion, who with Secret Message will run in his 12th Diana as a trainer still in search of his first win.

“It’s actually been a race I’ve always wanted to win,” said Motion, whose first starter in the race came in 1997.

Motion’s obsession with the Diana actually began in the late 1980s, when he worked for Jonathan Sheppard. He was the exercise rider of the filly Wooing, who finished first in the 1989 Diana at 32-1, only to be disqualified for interference. She was placed second behind Glowing Honor.

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Adding to his desire to win this race is that Motion has had five second-place finishes, including an excruciating beat with Ultra Brat, who lost by a nose to Sistercharlie last year. Quidura (2017), Shared Account (2010), and Sweet Talker (2006) all lost by a head. Zagora (2011) was beaten 1 1/2 lengths.

Three of those losses came to horses trained by Chad Brown, two to horses trained by Bill Mott. They are the only two trainers besides Motion to have runners in this year’s Diana, which drew a field of six.

Brown and Mott have combined to win eight of the last 14 runnings of the Diana, with Brown having won the last three.

“This is going to be a very tall order against Chad’s army,” Motion said.

That army includes Sistercharlie, the 2018 female turf champion who is going to make her seasonal debut in the Diana. Rushing Fall, a winner of 8 of 9 lifetime starts; Homerique, 2 for 2 for Brown; and Thais are the other Brown runners. Mitchell Road, a winner of three straight, will be Mott’s representative.

In Secret Message, Motion has a 4-year-old filly who won the Grade 3 Pucker Up last year and was second in the Grade 2 Sands Point. She finished sixth, 10 1/2 lengths behind Rushing Fall, in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, her eighth race of 2018.

This year, Secret Message has gone 2 for 2, with an allowance win at Laurel and a victory in the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes at Woodbine, both at a mile.

“We’ve had this race in mind for a while,” Motion said. “It’s a good opportunity to run in a Grade 1, the timing is really good for it, and I think she’s really improved. I think the mile and an eighth suits her.”