Mott eyes Oaklawn Handicap for Tacitus or newcomer Endorsed
Tacitus, last year's Wood Memorial (G2) winner, is under consideration for a start in the Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap, says Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
Juddmonte Farms' homebred, a handsome gray son of Tapit out of the Eclipse Award-winning mare Close Hatches, was among the favorites for the Dubai World Cup (G1), which was slated for March 28 until canceled due to the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 4-year-old colt has since returned to Belmont Park where he has posted a pair of breezes just five days apart, including a five-furlong effort in 1:01.35 on April 20 on the dirt training track.
Mott said Tacitus is training toward a potential start in the nine-furlong test for 4-year-olds and up slated for May 2 at Oaklawn Park.
"He'll work again and if that goes okay we might go to Oaklawn," Mott said.
Tacitus made his 4-year-old debut off a five-month layoff in the inaugural Saudi Cup when he finished fifth, defeated just 4 ¼ lengths.
"He hadn't been out in a long time," said Mott.
Tacitus graduated at second asking in November 2018 at the Big A and made his sophomore debut a winning one in March 2019 with a rallying effort in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). He completed a hat trick of wins with a 1 ¼-length score in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct as the betting favorite.
The talented gray continued a memorable sophomore season when elevated to third in the Kentucky Derby, which was awarded to the Mott-trained Country House, and the classy colt went on to finish second in the Belmont Stakes as well as the Jim Dandy (G2) and Travers (G1) at Saratoga.
Tacitus completed his 3-year-old campaign, in which he banked in excess of $1.6 million, with a third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) in September at Belmont Park.
Mott has also nominated Godolphin homebred Endorsed to the Oaklawn Handicap. Previously trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, who has switched gears to become a jockey agent for Luis Saez, the 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro colt was a first-out maiden winner in August 2018 at Saratoga.
The lightly-raced horse closed from last of 12 to finish fourth in the Travers last August in a sophomore season in which he made just three starts. Endorsed opened his 4-year-old campaign with an optional-claiming win at Gulfstream Park on January 11 and last out finished fifth in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 7.
Endorsed has trained with Mott's string at Payson Park in anticipation of his first start for the barn. Mott said he won't pit the two stablemates against each other in the Oaklawn Handicap.
"If Tacitus runs, he probably won't run," said Mott. "He's a nice horse and we're optimistic as he's been improving a little bit. He looked like he was improving for Kiaran and hopefully he'll continue in that direction."