The soft-spoken guy from South Dakota guided Cigar through a record-tying 16-race winning streak in 1995 and 1996, and two years later Bill Mott made more history. He was only 45 in 1998 when he became the youngest trainer ever inducted into the Hall of Fame. A quarter of a century later, at 70, he had another career year.
Mott guided fan favorite Cody’s Wish through a 4-for-5 season that included three Grade 1 wins, including the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile for a second consecutive year. Mott’s Elite Power repeated in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint the day after his 3-for-3 Just F Y I took the Juvenile Fillies.
Outstanding Trainer Battle: Mott vs. Cox vs. Brown at Eclipse Awards
Casa Creeds trainer Billy Mott
Cody’s Wish is a major player for Eclipse Awards as Older Dirt Male and Horse of the Year. Elite Power and Just F Y I are sure things for the Sprinter and 2-Year-Old Filly trophies. Typically, Mott deflected credit to others.
“I’m really proud of my staff, the riders that ride for us, and the grooms and hot walkers,” he said. “They really step up. I’m fortunate enough to have one of the best crews in the country, and I think it pays off.”
Mott also is a strong candidate for a fourth Eclipse as Outstanding Trainer to go with 1995, 1996, and 2011. The other finalists are two-time winner Brad Cox and four-time champ Chad Brown, whose far bigger stables gave them large edges over Mott in wins and earnings. Mott deserves major props for keeping 5-year-olds Cody’s Wish and Elite Power in championship form and for his 10 Grade 1 wins, only two fewer than Brown and Cox.
Mott’s Heartfelt Triumph at Breeders’ Cup: A Touching Connection Beyond Racing
Mott’s terrific Breeders’ Cup weekend and the overwhelming emotion of the Cody’s Wish saga undoubtedly swayed many voters from the Daily Racing Form, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters.
The heartwarming tale of a horse’s connection to an ailing teenager stretched far beyond racing. He was named for Cody Dorman, who suffered from a rare genetic disorder and died while returning to Kentucky the day after Breeders’ Cup Saturday at Santa Anita.
“It’s one of the most memorable rides we’ve all been on,” Mott said, “and I think it’s meant so much to so many different people. Sometimes it’s a small group that gets to enjoy the wins, but I think this one’s been for a lot of people.”
When they hand out the trainer’s Eclipse on Jan. 25, don’t be surprised if the envelope contains Mott’s name.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
