Motion readies duo for Colonial Downs' Virginia Derby
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Colonial Downs' Grade 3, $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby set for Saturday could feature a pair of Graham Motion-trained 3-year-olds in the field and another pair from his barn in undercard stakes.
"I'm inclined to enter both English Bee and Shootin The Breeze," Motion said of the feature, which will run for the 17th time. "They have both been competing in New York, have been consistent and both worked on Friday. Even when they've been beat, they've been close."
The pair raced against one other in the James Murphy Stakes on the May 18 Preakness Stakes undercard at PImlico. English Bee won the black-type stakes, while stablemate Shootin The Breeze was third.
Most recently, English Bee was fourth in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2) on Aug. 2 at Saratoga after running 10th in the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) on July 6. For the year, he shows two wins from five starts and a bankroll of $100,650. English Bee is out of the Kitten's Joy mare, Evil Kitten, and is owned by Calumet Farms.
Shootin The Breeze has made eight lifetime starts with earnings of $67,692. Since breaking his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs in January, the Hard Spun colt collected a pair of seconds and thirds in allowance company at Belmont, Keeneland and Gulfstream until a sixth most recently in an allowance optional claimer at Saratoga. Also a Kentucky-bred, he is out of Prof. McGonagall by Storm Cat and is owned by Alex Campbell.
Motion also plans to bring a pair of horses to compete in two of the Derby day undercard stakes. Mercilla is targeted for the $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Virginia Oaks, but the trainer is undecided on whether 2-year-old Torres Del Paine will enter the $100,000 Exacta System Rosie's Stakes or the $100,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Kitten's Joy Stakes.
Mercilla, who has raced three times, captured her first pair on turf at Lyon Parilly in France last November and at Pimlico on May 23. She most recently finished a distant fifth in Delaware Park's Christiana Stakes June 19, but the race was taken off the grass and held on dirt.
"I wanted to kick myself afterwards for running the horse on dirt," said Motion. "Since that race, I decided to wait for the Virginia Oaks at this distance.
Torres Del Paine broke his maiden in a career bow June 28 over Laurel's turf course then was fifth in the July 17 Rick Violette Stakes at Saratoga. That race was taken off the grass and contested over a sloppy dirt surface.
"He's a New York-bred who has worked okay on dirt before but didn't handle the bad track too well that day at Saratoga," said Motion. "The weather was crazy with high winds and lots of rain."
Torres Del Paine's two starts have been at six and 5 1/2 furlongs, respectively. The Rosie's Stakes is scheduled at 5 1/2 furlongs and the Kitten's Joy is at 1 1/16th miles Both are for two-year-olds.
Post positions for the Virginia Derby day card will be drawn Tuesday.
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