Barn Tour: Motion updates on Trikari + 10 other stakes runners

The first half of the year has been strong for Graham Motion. He has four graded-stakes wins with three horses and earnings of $3.3 million.

If those numbers seem a bit short of his years in the past when he’d have 600-plus starters and double-digit graded-stakes wins, well, that’s OK with Motion.

“We cut back a couple of years ago, hoping that maybe we’d concentrate a little bit more on quality than quantity,” Motion told Horse Racing Nation on Monday. “And I feel like hopefully this year, it’s probably been our best year for a while. I think hopefully the results of that are showing. So I feel like we’ve had a pretty good year. Certainly lately, we’ve had a good run.”

That run includes two graded wins for Trikari, including the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) on Saturday, Motion’s first Grade 1 win since 2022.

Motion provided updates on Trikari and other talented runners in his stable for HRN’s Barn Tour series.

Trikari. In addition to his Belmont Derby score – “that was very cool,” Motion said – the 3-year-old son of Oscar Performance won the American Turf (G2) on the Kentucky Derby undercard. In between he was third by a nose and a neck in the Penn Mile (G3). “Obviously, there’s the Saratoga Derby (G1) as an option. There’s also the Secretariat (G2) at Colonial, which could be an option shortening back up to a mile, which gives him a little bit more time.”

Sparkle Blue. The 5-year-old Hard Spun mare won the Hillsborough (G2) in March then rallied for second in the Modesty (G3) on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. Last out, she was ninth in the New York (G1) at Saratoga. “It was quite soft that day. It was a very competitive field. I mean, it was almost like a Breeders’ Cup prep or Breeders’ Cup race. And I think she just got in a little too deep in what was quite tough going for her.” She’ll start next in the Big Dreyfus at Laurel Park on July 21, a race she won last year. “I kind of wanted to get back to a more realistic spot. We took a shot at a big race and it didn’t work out. I think it probably wasn’t without excuses. But right now I think we just want to get her against some easier company. She’s very trying, this filly. She always puts in her best effort.”

Mission of Joy. The 4-year-old Kitten’s Joy filly is entered in the Diana (G1) on Saturday in pursuit of her first win since the Regret (G3) in May 2023. Last out in the Just a Game (G1) at Saratoga, she was a half-length and a head behind Chili Flag and Whitebeam and finished third. “I think she’s kind of a Grade 1 filly. And you know how important that is. So this seems like it’s a very tough race, but she’s doing very well so we’ll see.”

The Grey Wizard. The 5-year-old Ireland-bred gelding is Motion’s other graded-stakes winner this year, scoring in the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup (G2) last out for his first win in more than a year. “There’s only really one two-mile race left here. And that’s (the Nashville Gold Cup, G2) at Kentucky Downs in the first week in September. So there’s a race at Delaware going a mile and a half in the middle of August that we’ll point him for.”

Dataman. The 4-year-old gelding sired by Tapit has won his last two starts, listed stakes at Laurel Park and Monmouth Park. “When he won at Monmouth that day, he got an automatic spot in the United Nations (G2). So we’re going to go with that. The extra distance, I don’t think it’ll be a problem for him. … He’s really improved this year. We always liked him, obviously. But I think the races he put together this year have been very impressive.”

Toupie. The 3-year-old Uncle Mo filly has had two starts this year, finishing second in the listed Mamzelle and winning the Stormy Blues at Laurel Park last out. She’s entered in the Coronation Cup Friday at Saratoga. “She won very nicely at Laurel that day. This was always my target, was this race. It’s kind of the race I had in mind for her. … She’s probably got the most improved award from 2 to 3. She really has changed into a big, attractive mare from 2 to 3. And always has shown plenty of ability. She wants to stay at the shorter distances.”

Vergara. The 5-year-old daughter of Noble Mission has finished third in her two starts this year, most recently in Sunday’s “pretty rough” Robert G. Dick Memorial (G3). “She’s won the last two years at Kentucky Downs, so we’ll wait to point her for the race there that she won last year.” That’s the Ladies Marathon (G3) on Sept. 7.

Highland Chief. The 7-year-old son of Gleneagles was off for more than a year, returning in April with a fifth-place finish in the Elkhorn (G2) followed by a third-place effort in the Dinner Party (G3) last out on the Preakness undercard. He’s entered in both the Million Preview at Colonial on Saturday and the Prince George’s County at Laurel on Sunday. The decision on which to chose will be based “probably on basic competition. The one thing about Colonial, it is a long ship. It’s a tough ship too. So if Laurel looks like it might be easier – it’s a similar race – I might end up sticking with Laurel. Though the race at Colonial’s quite competitive, two or three pretty nice horses in there.”

No Show Sammy Joe. The 4-year-old Lope de Vega filly broke her maiden in June 2023 in her second start and didn’t return until May 19, when she won an optional-claiming allowance at the Belmont at the Big A meet. She’s entered in a Saratoga allowance on Thursday. “The weather forecast doesn’t look very good. And I really like this filly. She’s won her last two, she’s a filly we thought enough of to give the winter off, and she’s come back and run really well. … We had a little issue with her at Saratoga last year. And then we just decided to be very patient bringing her back. But she’s trained well. I hope we get to run her Thursday. We’re stepping her up in distance, but I think it’s something she should handle. It’s a very competitive race. It’s like a stakes race.”

Five Towns. The 4-year-old Lord Kanaloa filly won two in a row before running into Fluffy Socks and finishing second last out in the Gallorette (G3). She’s entered in Saturday’s Beverly D. Preview at Colonial Downs. After the Gallorette, “I kind of gave her a little bit of a break. I thought she’d been running quite a bit. So we just gave her an easy three or four weeks. And she’s had a couple of breezes to get ready for this race.”

Marksman Queen. The 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi is 0-for-3 this year after finishing second in an optional-claiming allowance at Woodbine last out. She also is entered in the Beverly D Preview. “She’s a filly that kind of acts like she could be stakes caliber. I think it would be great for her and she can get some black type.”