Motorious gives owner Anthony Fanticola anxious moments at the wire. While the close call went the other way in the Breeders' Cup, Dec. 28 it meant winner's circle jubilation, as Motorious defeated Sumter by a head $201,500 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park.
"It was kind of close, but he loves this track," said Fanticola. "Phil says he's ready."
"Phil" is trainer Phil D'Amato, who is "like family" to Fanticola, one of D'Amato's first clients. The two won the 2016 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) with Obviously, owned by Fanticola and the late Joe Scardino. Motorious missed repeating that victory by just a neck to Starlust in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
But Motorious didn't miss in the Hernandez as the 9-10 favorite. Fourth in the early going of the Santa Anita hillside turf course distance of about 6 1/2 furlongs after bobbling a bit leaving the gate, Motorious waited for jockey Antonio Fresu behind Code Duello's quick pace of :21.81 for the first quarter-mile and :43.78 for the half-mile.
"He's proved to be a very good horse sprinting and going down the hill," Fresu said. "He was kind of slow in the beginning, and it was kind of hard to get into his rhythm. When I let him loose down the lane, he just kept grinding and I thought he finished best."
Sumter took over from Code Duello into the stretch and then had to try to fend off Motorious' closing charge. Motorious came wide, but he had momentum and grit, getting up just in time to nip Sumter at the wire and stop the timer in 1:11.86. Sumter finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Irideo, with Code Duello fourth in the field of eight.
"He's a heckuva finisher," said Fanticola. "It was exciting. I love horses that run like him from the back. The finish line is what matters. We're now going to give him a couple of months off and let him freshen. We gotta win that Breeders' Cup next year. We have our eye on the Breeders' Cup."
A 6-year-old gelding, Motorious has competed in the last two Breeders' Cup Turf Sprints, both at five furlongs. He finished fifth in the 2023 edition at Santa Anita. He has also won the five-furlong Green Flash Handicap (G3T) twice at Del Mar. Before the Hernandez, Motorious had started four times down the Santa Anita hillside turf course, with two wins, a second, and a third, with one of the victories coming in the 2023 San Simeon Stakes (G3T).
Fanticola and Scardino were clients of the late trainer Mike Mitchell. D'Amato was Mitchell's assistant, taking over the stable when Mitchell became ill. Mitchell died in 2015.
"From the day I started training, I was lucky enough to train for Tony Fanticola and his late, great partner, Joe Scardino," D'Amato said. "I've been lucky enough to have them ever since."
Another horse Fanticola, Scardino, and D'Amato teamed with was Fanticola, winner of the 2015 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T). Later sold, Fanticola has recently been in the news as the dam of Nov. 30 Hollywood Derby (G1T) winner Formidable Man.
Kirtlington Stud and Mary Taylor bred Motorious in Great Britain from the group-placed Pastoral Pursuits mare Squash. Boomer Bloodstock purchased Motorious for 220,000 guineas (US$317,956) at the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.
Motorious is by Muhaarar, a European champion sprinter whose runners include millionaire multiple group winner Annaf and 2023 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1) winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi. Muhaarar stands at Haras du Petit Tellier in France with a 2025 stud fee of €14,000.
