Carrothers Race Recap

Following a wide trip today, Carrothers finished seventh at Aqueduct in his dirt debut.

Ridden by Eric Cancel, Carrothers raced in fifth position down the backstretch of the one-mile race after breaking from outside post 10. Turning for home, he was seven-wide, but looked like he was going to do some running at the eighth pole — despite racing on the wrong lead — but he failed to have a strong enough closing punch to be impactful at the finish.

Carrothers was beaten nine lengths by the winner and post-time favorite, Core Conviction. Overall, the effort was a vast improvement over his 20 1/2-length loss on the turf in his U.S. debut.

Trainer Bill Mott told our East Coast Racing Manager, Harry Rice: “I thought he broke well, and was in a good position early on. I would’ve been a bit happier if we were closer to the rail, but that’s ok. We were bumped going around the turn, but it didn’t seem to bother him too much. I thought we were in a great spot at the eighth pole, but he just didn’t kick on.”

Leana Willaford, Mott’s New York-based assistant, reported that Carrothers scoped clean after the race. In the coming days, we will report back with how the colt came out of his race.

Please enjoy these race-day photos, courtesy of track photographer Adam Coglianese.

Carrothers Update

After discussing Carrothers’ work from Monday, this morning, with Bill Mott, Bill said that he’s going to try Carrothers on the turf in allowance race going 1 1/16 miles at Aqueduct, scheduled for December 2nd. Bill added that Carrothers had a very nice work, but just didn’t gallop out completely which is the reason for trying him on the grass

Carrothers Workout Report

Carrothers worked five furlongs this morning over the Belmont Park training track. Carrothers finished his work in 1:02.10 over a track that was back raked and listed as good. A track that is back raked can produce a time a bit slower than normal, but helps the track dry out when there is moisture in it. We will report back tomorrow after talking with Bill Mott.

Mott’s Success with Euro Imports

 

When Carrothers enters the starting gate for his upcoming North American debut, the colt will add his name to a long list of former European runners — many of whom went on to great success — to join the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Topping the list is Theatrical, who gave Mott his first of what is now 10 winners at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The Irish-bred son of Nureyev joined the Mott barn in 1987, after starting his career two years earlier in Europe where he won his debut in a Group 2 in Ireland as a 3-year-old.

But it was under Mott’s care that Theatrical really flourished, and reeled off five Grade 1 stakes victories for his new trainer before running in the 1987 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Hollywood Park. That day, in what would be his final career start, Theatrical defeated Trempolino, who entered the Turf following a magnificent victory in one of the world’s premier events, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France. The video of the 1987 BC Turf is shown above.

When reflecting last year on what Theatrical meant to him, Mott told Jay Hovdey in the BloodHorse:”Theatrical was awful big for me. He was my first Breeders’ Cup winner, my first champion, and we beat the Arc winner in the bargain. I mean, he sticks out even when you ask about the best horses I’ve ever trained. He’s right there at the top of the list.”

Mott’s accomplishments with former Euros doesn’t end with Theatrical. Throughout his career, which began in 1978 and has yielded him more than 5,100 winners, Mott has managed the U.S. careers of many imports who blossomed into stakes winners under his brilliant and patient horsemanship.

Royal Anthem, a son of Theatrical who was a Group 1 winner in Europe, came to Mott for his final two career starts, which resulted in a runner-up finish in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Turf and a victory in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Breeder’s Cup Handicap in 2000.

Among the more recent stakes winners trained by Mott, who previously launched their careers in Europe, are Capla Temptress, Lady Lara, Suffused, and Tuttipaesi.

Carrothers already has flashed his talent by winning two starts in England, and we’re excited to see what is in store for our colt in the capable hands of Mott, who will enter him on Sunday for a Nov. 19th race at Aqueduct.

Carrothers Update

Two days post breeze, Carrothers hit the track for an easy gallop over the Oklahoma training track this morning. Bill Mott thinks highly of our 3-year-old Mshawish colt and once Carrothers has recorded a few more works, a race plan will be discussed.

Please enjoy this video of Carrothers from this morning.

Carrothers Workout Report

Carrothers worked in company with American Monarch this morning over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. The Bill Mott-trained duo traveled a half mile in 50.29 seconds. With this being Carrothers’ first half-mile work since returning to the Bill Mott barn, the instructions were to go easy. Mott has said he is happy with the way Carrothers returned after his break at Margaux Farm, and is excited to keep moving him forward.

Carrothers Workout Report

Carrothers worked another bullet over the Oklahoma training track this morning. The 3-year-old Mshawish colt covered three furlongs in 37.19 seconds. Riley Mott said that Carrothers was able to complete the work with very little urging, and that he is continuing to improve each day. No race has been targeted yet for Carrothers.