|OPINION |
ABSOLUTE AUCTION HISTORIC WALMAC FARM
GI LE S AN DE RS ON
PARIS PIKE, LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY 248 + /- ACRE S THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8—10:00 A.M.
PUBLISHER’S OPINION
Bill Mott – our man of the moment
It’s somewhat hard to believe that our cover profile trainer, Bill Mott, marks 2018 as the 40th anniversary of his training career. Such an iconic name, I honestly thought that his training career was longer! But in the past forty years, he has been synonymous with both the development of many household names and with Breeders’ Cup success. To get the best out of his trainees, it would be fair to say that sometimes Mott is prepared to take seemingly unconventional paths with his horses to make them into racehorses. Take Cigar, a horse with a mainly turf pedigree, his sire Palace Music, raced on the grass and it was only natural that his son would probably find form on the green. But his first handler, Alex Hassinger Jr., knew something different and was the first to try his charge on the dirt before switching to the turf. After an enforced year out of racing due to injury and a switch to the east coast tracks - Cigar (who was named after an airline part not after rolled tobacco), well, his career literally took off. He retired $185 short of becoming the first horse to hit the $10,000,000 earning mark, a record not achieved until just ten years ago when Curlin was in his prime. It’s now 23 years since Cigar won his Breeders’ Cup Classic for Mott and seven years since the Breeders’ Cup was last contested at Churchill Downs when another Mott trainee, Drosselmeyer, won the Classic. This year, Mott returns to Churchill Downs with solid claims to equaling Bob Baffert’s record for the number of Classic victories. One of his potential candidates for the Classic follows a typical Mott pattern. Yoshida has a resume suited to the grass—a surface he raced on exclusively until this summer. He took to the dirt track like a duck to water when scoring at the first time of asking on the dirt when turning out a convincing performance in the Woodward at Saratoga this past summer. You have to respect Mott’s judgement. We live in an age where trainers are often subject to scrutiny thanks to the handicapping media, past performances and some owners’ ideals, which can cause a trainer’s fear of “win percentages”. Some trainers undoubtedly will decide not to run a horse or try something different should it affect their percentage number. But that’s not the case with Mott. Here’s a man who will do best for his owner and horse by rolling the dice of luck, and what a lucky journey he has been on these past 40 years. Wherever your racing takes you this fall / winter, good luck!
A rare opportunity to acquire one of the most storied farms in all of Kentucky offering the ultimate in locations and with all of the infrastructure and improvements necessary for one to establish their presence in the Bluegrass. ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Capacity for 20 stallions 55 additional stalls 5,935 SF main residence 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths Manager + guest homes 5 employee houses 4,495 SF office
Adjoining Spendthrift Farm and across Paris Pike from Gainesway Farm and Keeneland’s Kentucky Horse Center. TERMS: 10% down with signed Auction Purchase Contract. Balance of purchase price and deed within 60 days. Property is sold “as-is” with no warranty expressed or implied.
Visit our website: kyhorsefarms.com SWINEBROAD-DENTON, INC. Walt Robertson, Auctioneer (859) 277-6188
JUSTICE REAL ESTATE www.kyhorsefarms.com (859) 255-3657
ISSUE 50 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM
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