Kentucky Derby 2017: Irish War Cry - Graham Motion (VIDEO)

Photo: Brett Workman

Off a smashing victory in the Wood Memorial, Irish War Cry comes into Kentucky Derby 2017 as one of the horses to beat. His trainer Graham Motion has been down this road before. In 2011, he conditioned Animal Kingdom to an upset victory in the Run for the Roses. If he can win his second on Saturday, it would not be an upset, but would place the English-born trainer in elite company.


I caught up with Motion this morning, shortly after Irish War Cry made his first visit to the main track at Churchill Downs. We talked about the star three-year-old's acclimation after arriving yesterday evening, possible tactics for rider, Rajiv Maragh in the Derby, and what, if any, similarities he might see between the Isabelle de Tomaso owned New Jersey-bred and Animal Kingdom.


If we were looking at only the Holy Bull and the Wood Memorial, Irish War Cry would be the Derby favorite. Listen to what Motion has to say about the Fountain of Youth disappointment, and what he thinks went wrong that afternoon in South Florida; also, what he does not want to see on Derby day.

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