Motovato refuses to lose in Kenny Noe

MIAMI - Motovato overcame traffic problems on a couple of occasions through the stretch before running down longshot Dream Maestro to register a well-deserved neck victory in Saturday's at Calder. Biker Boy, the 3-5 favorite, finished a tiring fifth after stalking the pace into the stretch.

The seven-furlong Kenny Noe lost some of its luster when This Ones for Phil, the starting highweight at 120 pounds, was one of three horses scratched out of the Grade 3 dash earlier in the day.

Motovato, a 4-year-old son of Proud Citizen, was turning back to seven furlongs for the first time since late March. His only previous stakes win came at 1 1/8 miles here early this summer.

Jockey Elvis Trujillo allowed Motovato to settle at the rear of the pack through the opening quarter-mile as Pechito opened a long early advantage. The field began to bunch up as the leader began to tire turning for home, with Dream Maestro tipping off the rail to assume control near midstretch.

Motovato had to steady briefly while commencing his rally at the head of the stretch. He took up again and angled out toward the middle of the track for clearance inside the sixteenth pole before wearing down the leader nearing the wire. Prince Joshua finished a tiring third, another three lengths behind Dream Maestro.

Motovato is trained by Marty Wolfson for the partnership of Edmund Gann and Michel Jean Zerolo. He covered the distance in 1:24.44 over a fast track and paid $8.