Riley Mott has 2 shots for 2nd win Friday at Oaklawn
Trainer Riley Mott has been knocking on the door for his elusive second career victory. He’ll have two more shots to kick it in Friday at Oaklawn, where he is wintering after going out on his own Nov. 1.
Mott, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, is scheduled to start American Tattoo in the first race and Unifying in the featured eighth race, a $104,000 entry-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
Mott has started 11 horses this season at Oaklawn, with three finishing second and three running third. One of those runner-up finishes was with Unifying in the inaugural $150,000 Year’s End Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at one mile Dec. 31. Unifying represented Mott’s first career victory Nov. 10 at Churchill Downs.
“I guess you could probably get discouraged at not winning, but at the same time I don’t think I’ve had one horse run poorly,” Mott said. “Like I said, they’re knocking at the door and hitting the board, so I’m actually really pleased with how things are going even though we haven’t gotten in the win column yet. I think it’s on the horizon. If we continue to do what we’re doing, we’ll probably be in good shape.”
Unifying has made three career starts. She began her racing career with Bill Mott and finished second in her Sept. 15 debut during the Belmont at the Big A meet. She then was transferred to Riley Mott and was a front-running maiden special weight winner sprinting at Churchill Downs. The Year’s End marked the two-turn debut for Unifying, who was beaten 5 1/4 lengths by Defining Purpose. Unifying, by 2012 Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, brings ascending Beyer Speed Figures (56-63-70) into Friday’s race.
“It’s not typical for us to run one back (this quick),” Mott said. “It’s three weeks, or 20 days. Generally, give them a little more time than that, but you have to look at the individual. In her regard, she bounced out of that listed stake really, really well and I think even has taken a step forward since then in her training. She’s very sound and happy, and her energy’s great. So I just thought it would be a good opportunity and, obviously, it’s a great purse.”
The Year’s End was created as a major local prep for the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28, Oaklawn’s first of three Kentucky Oaks points races. Unifying is nominated to the Martha Washington, but Mott opted to take the more conservative route. Unifying (6-1 on the morning line) is scheduled to break from post 9 under eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr.
“I’d like to win that condition, ideally,” Mott said. “You’re probably maybe facing a couple of horses that might be the same type of horse that you see in the Martha Washington, but I just wouldn’t want to throw her to the wolves right away, even though she ran a respectable race last time. I just thought the (allowance) other than that she’s in would be a decent spot for her.”
American Tattoo, who adds blinkers, marked Mott’s first career starter Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs. In his only Oaklawn start, American Tattoo finished fifth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths, in a Dec. 30 route for $30,000 claimers. American Tattoo (6-1) drops to a $20,000 claiming level for Friday’s 1-mile race.
Mott was in Arkansas overseeing his Oaklawn stable when American Tattoo, Unifying and a third starter, Spunk, ran at the Churchill Downs fall meet. Mott’s other 11 career starts have been in Hot Springs.
Probable post time for Friday’s eighth race is 4:53 p.m. EST. Dear Lady, who broke her maiden sprinting Dec. 31 at Oaklawn for trainer Kenny McPeek, is the 9-5 program favorite.