TRM Trainer of the quarter is Graham Motion

$S 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom opened a gaping lead in the stretch in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 13th, trainer Graham Motion’s first thought was surprising: “This would be the cruelest thing if some horse came and beat him at the wire.” No one did. Instead, Animal Kingdom won the world’s richest race by two lengths, a remarkable accomplishment for a trainer and his horse who had only made three starts since being injured in the 2011 Belmont Stakes. “It was the result of a year’s work of worth for me and the crew,” Motion said. “I’ll never train another horse as exceptional as him. He was the horse of a lifetime.” Yet just six days later, Animal Kingdom’s owner, Barry Irwin’s Team Valor, announced it had hired Rick Mettee to become the stable’s private trainer, although Motion would be allowed to train Animal Kingdom, who may make his final start in England. Motion turned down the private job because he wasn’t about to abandon his other owners. “Our arrangement was set up so I could walk away some day, and that’s what I decided to do,” Motion said. The 49-year-old native of Cambridge, England, who worked for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard for five years before opening his own stable, has had other successful horses, including multiple graded stakes winner Better Talk Now and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Shared Account. But Animal Kingdom took him to a place Motion never envisioned visiting: The winner’s circle at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May. “I felt shock and disbelief at the same time,” Motion said. “It was never something I planned on doing.” The fact that Animal Kingdom had never raced on dirt and was only making his fifth lifetime start only make his Kentucky Derby victory even more special. Then, following a game second by half a length to Shackleford in the Preakness, Animal Kingdom stumbled badly coming out of the starting gate in the Belmont. “I was sick,” Motion said. It got worse. Animal Kingdom rallied from 12th to finish sixth, but came out of the race with a hairline fracture of his left hock. Given ample time to recover, Animal Kingdom returned to win an allowance grass race at Gulfstream on February 10, 2012. The game plan was to send him to the 2012 Dubai World Cup, but Animal Kingdom suffered another injury, a stress fracture in the same leg. Again, Animal Kingdom was given time to recover. He returned to the races in the that’s what I decided to do,” Motion said. The 49-year-old native of Cambridge, England, who worked for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard for five years before opening his own stable, has had other successful horses, including multiple graded stakes winner Better Talk Now and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Shared Account. But Animal Kingdom took him to a place Motion never envisioned visiting: The winner’s circle at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May. “I felt shock and disbelief at the same time,” Motion said. “It was never something I planned on doing.” The fact that Animal Kingdom had never raced on dirt and was only making his fifth lifetime start only make his Kentucky Derby victory even more special. Then, following a game second by half a length to Shackleford in the Preakness, Animal Kingdom stumbled badly coming out of the starting gate in the Belmont. “I was sick,” Motion said. It got worse. Animal Kingdom rallied from 12th to finish sixth, but came out of the race with a hairline fracture of his left hock. Given ample time to recover, Animal Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita, where he finished a fast-closing second to Horse of the Year Wise Dan. To prepare for the 2013 World Cup, Motion raced Animal Kingdom in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Handicap on turf under Joel Rosario, the seventh different jockey in Animal Kingdom’s tenth career start. “That’s absurd,” for a horse of his caliber, Motion said. Rosario’s ride that day was also absurd as he rushed Animal Kingdom on the backstretch to fight on the lead, which he made before tiring to second behind grass superstar Point of Entry. “I was disappointed for the horse, frankly,” Motion said. “He was asked to do something impossible. Rosario, though, kept the mount in the World Cup. “I’ve never been a believer of yanking a rider after one mistake,” Motion said. “We decided to stick with Joel.” Great decision. Rosario rode Animal Kingdom flawlessly, stalking Royal Delta on the lead, taking command on the final turn and storming home in a powerful performance. He is the best horse in the world. “I always wanted to prove the Derby wasn’t a fluke,” Motion said. “There are always skeptics.” Not anymore. n$

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THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN - NORTH AMERICAN TRAINER - ISSUE 28

TRM AWARDSWebmaster29 March 2013Graham Motion, TRM Trainer of the Quarter