Motorious three-peated in the $153,500 Green Flash Handicap (G3T) Aug. 30 at Del Mar, though he needed a disqualification to manage it.
One of two horses impeded shortly after the start in the five-furlong by the unofficial winner, Reef Runner, Motorious was elevated from second to first, and Reef Runner was relegated to second in a unanimous stewards' decision after a seven-minute inquiry. The three stewards did not demote Reef Runner behind another start-impacted runner, Queen Maxima, the sixth-place finisher.
The 9-5 favorite, Motorious was pinched back to last in Saturday's five-furlong turf dash, and with considerable traffic in front of him on the turn, jockey Antonio Fresu needed to fan his mount out widest coming into the stretch to launch his bid with 10 horses left to pass. Gaining furiously late, he came within a nose of catching Gulfstream Park shipper Reef Runner, who had stalked the pace in midpack and dove up the inside to take command in late stretch under Paco Lopez.
Reef Runner was clocked in :55.90 for the distance after splits of :21.41 and :44.06 set by Book Smart. Anthony Fanticola's Motorious, a 7-year-old Muhaarar gelding trained by Phil D'Amato, carried high weight of 125 pounds and paid $5.60 to win.
Beyond Brilliant ran third.
With the Green Flash Handicap part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, Motorious earned a fees-paid, automatic berth in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Del Mar. Competing in the race in 2024 and 2025, he finished fifth and second, respectively, losing by just a neck last year.
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How Sweet it Is: Om N Joy Takes Torrey Pines
After going winless in her first seven starts, Om N Joy has gone nuts.
The cleverly named California-bred 3-year-old daughter of Om notched her fifth straight victory Saturday in capturing the $151,000 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) by a half-length on Pacific Classic day at Del Mar. The win marked her first at the graded stakes level and was her fourth against stakes foes after three black-type victories against state-breds.
Though Om N Joy took a class hike Saturday to race in the Torrey Pines, she showed she belonged, rallying from sixth to surge past longshot pacesetter So There She Was and heavily favored Tenma. The winner completed a mile on a fast main track in 1:36.99 under Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, returning $10 to win.
Desormeaux noted the maturity shown by the sophomore filly. "She went to the post like a 9-year-old mare," he said.
So There She Was, who set splits of :22.97, :47.13, 1:11.66, and 1:24.30, held second, while grade 1 winner Tenma checked in a lackluster third in her return from a fourth-place finish in the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Aggie Ordonez trains Om N Joy for owner/breeders Jerry and Connie Baker, who campaign her with co-owners Michael Golovko and Terrence Scanlan. Om N Joy is now 5-0-4 in 12 starts with earnings of $401,140.
The chestnut filly is one of four winners from as many starters from the winning Hard Spun mare Margie's Minute, whom the Bakers also campaigned with other partners.
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