Trainer Motion happily thanks his charge Trikari for his success. (Susie Raisher)
Santa Anita Stable Notes By Victor Ryan
ARCADIA, Calif.—Eastern-based trainer Graham Motion isn’t shy about shipping horses west if the right opportunity arises. The Kentucky Derby-winning trainer hopes he found a pair of such opportunities Saturday on the first-ever California Crown program at Santa Anita.
Arriving for Motion to Santa Anita Tuesday night were Grade I winner Trikari and multiple stakes winner Toupie. Trikari, a 3-year-old, will take on older horses for the first time in the Grade II City of Hope Mile presented by MyRacehorse, which is a “Win and You’re In” for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile Nov. 2 at Del Mar. Toupie is entered in the Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course.
Trikari enters the City of Hope with a sparkling record of 8: 5-1-1 and more than $1.3 million in earnings. As an unraced 2-year-old last year, Trikari was purchased for a mere $27,500 by owner Amerman Racing.
“Credit to (bloodstock agents) Bob and Sean Feld for finding him,” Motion said Wednesday morning. “We’ve been high on him since Day 1.”
To illustrate his early bullishness on Trikari, Motion noted he debuted the Oscar Performance colt at Keeneland last October.
“I won’t take a horse to Keeneland if I don’t think they can run,” Motion said. “Unfortunately, that turned into a frustrating day.”
Going 1 1/16 miles on turf in his unveiling, Trikari settled in mid-pack but then weakened to finish last of 12. Since that inauspicious debut, he’s done little wrong. Trikari graduated in his next start at Gulfstream Park. Then it was soon on to stakes company. He has since won the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park March, GII American Turf at Churchill Downs in May, GI Belmont Derby at Aqueduct in July and most recently the GII Secretariat at Colonial Downs Aug. 11.
Motion noted Saturday’s City of Hope will be his stiffest challenge yet.
“I realize it’s a big step up, a tall task, but we need to see how he stacks up with these kinds of horses,” Motion said. “He’ll need to be at his best.”
The decision to ship Trikari to California came down to two main factors, Motion added.
“I like that it’s five weeks out from the Breeders’ Cup, I thought it would be better than waiting another week and running at Keeneland,” he said. “Also, you know the turf is likely to be firm at Santa Anita. At Keeneland, you never know.”
Coming west to ride Trikari is jockey John Velazquez. The Hall of Famer was aboard for Trikari’s wins in the Belmont Derby and Secretariat.
The City of Hope Mile, which boasts a stacked field, goes as the 10th and final race on Saturday. Post time is approximately 5 p.m.
Motion’s other runner Saturday, Toupie, will have top rider Flavien Prat aboard for the first time in the Unzip Me presented by Thoroughbred Alliance Aftercare. The Uncle Mo filly last year won the Stewart Manor Stakes at Aqueduct and this year scored in the Stormy Blue Stakes at Laurel Park in June. Both were 5 ½ furlongs on turf.
“Those 5 ½ races are probably too short for her actually, so I really like the distance on Saturday,” Motion said. “That’s where she should be at her most effective, six and seven furlongs.”
The Unzip Me goes as the fifth race Saturday with post time at approximately 2:30 p.m.
