Tacitus, Channel Maker work together for weekend stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Bill Mott waited out the weekend heat and beat the late Monday morning rain by working many of his stakes-bound horses, including Tacitus and Channel Maker, early Monday over the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga.

Tacitus, the Belmont Stakes runner-up, and Channel Maker, the Grade 1 Man o’ War winner, worked a half-mile together. Tacitus, headed to Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, started about two lengths behind Channel Maker and finished about a length in front while covering the distance in 48.52 seconds. Channel Maker, pointing to Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green, went four furlongs in 49.12.

Tacitus, the Wood Memorial winner, is coming off a second-place finish to Sir Winston in the Belmont Stakes. Monday was his fourth breeze since the Belmont.

“He worked well going into the Belmont and he’s working well now,” Mott said. “I think he’s done very well, I’m quite happy with him.”

Tacitus is expected to face at least four rivals in the Jim Dandy, including Preakness winner War of Will, Peter Pan winner Global Campaign, Wood Memorial runner-up Tax, and Oaklawn Invitational winner Laughing Fox. Chilly in Charge was possible.

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Meanwhile, Channel Maker will look to win the Bowling Green for a second consecutive year – he dead-heated for win last year with Glorious Empire.

Channel Maker is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Manhattan, 2 3/4 lengths behind Bricks and Mortar, on June 8.

“He ran very good in the Manhattan, got a nice paycheck,” Mott said. “I was a little worried that it was going to keep us out of this race here because it was going to be one too many races, but he seems to be doing quite well.”

Mott also intends to run the New York-bred Red Knight in the Bowling Green. On Monday, Red Knight worked a half-mile in 49.69 by himself over the Oklahoma training track. Red Knight is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup on June 7.

The Bowling Green, which at 1 3/8 miles is the local prep for the Grade 1, $800,000 Sword Dancer on Aug. 24, is expected to draw a large field. In addition to the Mott pair, others expected include Admissions Office, Argonne, Arklow, Bigger Picture, Channel Cat, Focus Group, Highland Sky, Olympico, Sadler’s Joy, Ya Primo, and Zulu Alpha.

Also working for Mott on Monday was Yoshida, last year’s Grade 1 Woodward winner, who went five furlongs by himself in 1:02.29, with a final three furlongs in 36.43. He is pointing to the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 3.