Time and Motion brings Grade 1 credentials to Modesty

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Grade 1-winning 4-year-old filly Time and Motion ships Tuesday from New York to start July 8 in the Grade 3, $100,000 Modesty Handicap at Arlington, trainer Jimmy Toner confirmed Friday.

Time and Motion adds heft to a race that is coming up stronger than its grade and purse. Also expected to run is the exciting South American import Dona Bruja, a Grade 1 winner in her native Argentina who in her U.S. debut handed the very sharp filly Believe in Bertie a 1 1/2-length defeat in the Mint Julep Stakes Churchill Downs.

Arlington racing officials also expected the Christophe Clement-trained filly Paige to ship for the Modesty. Zippessa, who was third in the Grade 1 Beverly D. here last summer, also is possible for the Modesty, a 1 3/16-mile grass race designed as a Beverly D. prep.

Time and Motion was a good 2-year-old filly and even better last year at 3, when she won 5 of 7 starts, including a narrow victory over Harmonize and Hawksmoor in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. Time and Motion has made two starts this year, finishing sixth by three lengths in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley and third, beaten three-quarters of a length by Hawksmoor and Dacita, in the Grade 3 Beaugay at Belmont Park.

Toner said an intended start in the New York Stakes on June 9 had to be abandoned after Time and Motion “came up with a low-grade infection and missed some training.” Rather than try to train Time and Motion up to what figures to be a very strong edition of the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga, Toner decided to use the Modesty as a prep for the Beverly D.

After missing the New York, Time and Motion got back on the work tab June 19, and she had a five-furlong grass breeze timed in 1:01.55 on June 26. She works again Monday before shipping.

“She recovered nicely from that infection and seems ready to go forward,” said Toner.

Toner also is shipping the 4-year-old Awesome Again gelding Manitoulin to start in the Arlington Handicap. Manitoulin came steadily forward through his 3-year-old campaign and has won both of his 2017 starts, a first-level Keeneland allowance and a second-level Belmont allowance.

Toner said Florent Geroux has the mount on both Time and Motion and Manitoulin. Entries for the Modesty, the Arlington Handicap, the Stars and Stripes, and the American Derby – all to be run here July 8 – are to be taken Wednesday.