Mott unconcerned with Modernist's outside draw in Louisiana Derby

Chance It was scratched because he drew an outside post, 12, in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 29 at Gulfstream Park. He came back a week later and finished a disappointing fifth in the Tampa Bay Derby. Lynn’s Map was scratched from the Jan. 18 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds after drawing post 14. He returned six days later and finished a disappointing fifth in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park. Now, Modernist, winner of the second division of the Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds has drawn post 14 for the Louisiana Derby – and trainer Bill Mott seems completely unconcerned.

“I don’t think it’s a problem at all,” Mott said Sunday. “Big Brown, he won the Kentucky Derby from post 20, right? Same kind of a deal with a really long run into the first turn. I think they’ll sort themselves out okay before then.”

There’s nothing in recent Fair Grounds history to support or contradict Mott’s perspective. The Louisiana Derby was lengthened this year to 1 3/16 miles from 1 1/8 miles, and since 1990 only one race over the distance has been contested on the Fair Grounds main track; there were six horses in it and the winner broke from post 5.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

A son of Uncle Mo, Modernist saved all the ground when he broke from post 1 and led nearly all the way in the second and slower division of the Risen Star Stakes, which was split into two races when it drew 23 entrants. That race was contested at 1 1/8 miles, the same as the maiden race Modernist won by four lengths on Jan. 25 at Aqueduct. Following the Risen Star, Mott spoke with enthusiasm about the development Modernist had shown through the winter, and Mott believes Modernist still is headed the right direction. He’s posted two Payson Park workouts since the Risen Star and has one more scheduled before shipping Wednesday to Fair Grounds.

“He worked five-eighths in 1:02, and over this track, that’s a pretty good work,” Mott said.

Mott has two other horses scheduled for March 21 stakes at Fair Grounds – Channel Maker for a strong edition of the $300,000 Muniz Memorial, and Antoinette for the six-horse Fair Grounds Oaks.

Six-year-old Channel Maker won only once in eight 2019 starts yet still banked more than $1 million during the season, picking up big checks in a bunch of Grade 1 and Grade 2 grass races. Channel Maker’s sweet spot is between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 miles, and he hasn’t raced over a distance as short as the Muniz’s 1 1/8 miles since he finished fifth in the May 2018 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. Mott thinks Channel Maker can be effective in Saturday’s start but also has an eye toward the Man o’ War Stakes over 1 3/8 miles in May at Belmont Park, a race Channel Maker won in 2019.

Antoinette, a Godolphin homebred by Hard Spun, raced three times at age 2, winning a maiden race on turf and the Tepin Stakes at Aqueduct, a one-mile race rained from turf onto dirt. She’s got a long way to go to contend with the Fair Grounds Oaks odds-on favorite Finite, but has trained well for her 2020 debut, Mott said.

“I guess it’s that old racetrack saying, ‘You don’t duck one horse,’” Mott said.

Or an outside post position.