Soft Turf No Concern for Motion

A potentially soft turf course on Saturday is no concern for trainer Graham Motion, who sends two runners to a pair of turf stakes on the card.

Joy, set as a 6-1 morning line contender in the De La Rose, sailed to a three-length victory on a yielding Belmont turf course last time out in the Perfect Sting.

"The ground won't be super firm, whatever the weather, and that can only help her," Motion said. "But it's a big step up; it's a very competitive race."

"She had had a few rough starts. [The Dahlia] at Pimilico really wasn't a bad race, it was her first race back and she only got beat a length. The next race [an optional claiming event at Pimlico on May 25], she stumbled coming out of the gate.

"So really, both of those races were not that bad. So I think that she's just kind of came to form, to be honest."

Motion also will send Edge of Reality to the Lure to try the turf for the first time. The 4-year-old colt nabbed his first win since moving to the barn earlier this year in the Leemat Stakes on July 13 over the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs.

"I thought he handled the Tapeta pretty well, so I hope he can translate that to the grass," said Motion. "Usually it works that way. If they handle the synthetic, they usually handle the turf and vice versa."

Motion's most recent stakes winner, the British import Stars Above Me, came back from her Coronation Cup victory Wednesday in good order, the trainer reported Friday morning. Motion said the 3-year-old daughter of Exceed and Excel may well stretch out in her next start.

"There are very few opportunities for a filly going five-eighths on the grass," Motion said. "There aren't that many races. So the question's going to be if she handles stretching out."