Making his first start of 2025, Motorious rallied in the stretch and kicked clear to earn his fourth graded stakes win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Daytona going 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.
With Antonio Fresu aboard for trainer Phil D’Amato, Motorious settled near the rear of the field as second choice Goliad, ridden by Mike Smith, was alone on the lead.
The pace had D’Amato concerned. “I thought Mike Smith might have stolen it when they crossed the dirt,” D’Amato said.
Motorious came to run in his first start since December 26 when winning the Joe Hernandez (G2) on the hillside turf course. Motorious began to gradually cut into Goliad’s advantage as they approached the dirt crossing, made the lead just inside the sixteenth pole and then drew away to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Bran and jockey Umberto Rispoli. It was another length back to Air Force Red in third.
“The horse was coming back off a layoff and I didn’t think the horse was 100 percent fit, so going slow the first part of the race helped to show his turn of foot at the end,” Fresu said. “He was traveling beautifully all the way and getting more comfortable. When I pulled him out after the dirt crossing it was impressive.”
The winning time was 1:13.13 on a firm turf course. Fractions for the race were 23.18, 45.10 and 1:07.12.
Motorious paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.10. Bran, trained by John Sadler, returned $4.00 and $2.40. Air Force Red, ridden by Armando Ayuso for trainer Leonard Powell, paid $3.20.
“I liked his explosiveness today,” D’Amato said. “Once he changed leads, he blew past those horses and finished with interest. That was a much more impressive effort than I thought he’d give me first out so we’re looking forward to Del Mar.”
Motorious was bred in Great Britain where he made his first seven starts. Before his win in the Joe Hernandez (G2), Motorious was beaten a neck in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
Motorious is a 7-year-old gelding by Muharrar. He improved to 22: 9-5-2 with $867,604 in earnings.
