All Mott, All The Time

The Friday before the Belmont was Mott's day to reign supreme in the two featured stakes races. Courageous Cat had no problem coming back from the October layoff and chasing down the loose on the lead Yield Bogey. Courageous Cat was second in the 2009 Breeder's Cup Mile to the legendary mare Goldikova and since then has only seen competition four times including Friday's victory. If this horse can keep it together, he will be a force to be reckoned with.



The Brooklyn Handicap was Drosselmeyer's attempt at winning both mile and a half stakes races offered for the Belmont meet. It was not to be, as the uncoupled Mott entry Birdrun led the field of five wire to wire with the 2010 Belmont winner chasing the whole way. In recent years the Brooklyn winner has been a horse that usually needs long distance races in order to be successful. Birdrun has wins at 9 furlongs or shorter before this victory and could be a force in the handicap division if everything breaks right.