FAIR HILL, Md.--Graham Motion, based at the Fair Hill Training Center, saddled three horses in Stakes at Gulfsteam Park on March 5, with one winning impressively and two finishing good thirds.
Spendarella winning at Gulfstream (Photo by Adam Coglianese)Gainesway Stable's homebred Spendarella won the $125,000, G3 Heeecomesthebride Stakes 1 mile turf race by 1 1/2 lengths after setting the pace over a large field of 11 3-year-old fillies.
This was only Spendarella's second race after winning a Maiden Special Weight at Gulfstream on Feb. 2 by 2 3/4 lengths.
"This was only her second start," said Motion. "I think she could be really good. To run and win in Stakes company in only her second start was impressive."
"We'll probably run her next in a Stakes at the beginning of Keeneland,"said Motion. "I think it's a Grade 2 race. Depending on how she runs in that, we may take her to Ascot. We've discussed that."
ENGLISH BEE, a 6-year-old stallion owned and bred by Calumet Farm, finished third in the $150,000, G3, 1 1/16 mile Canadian Turf Stakes.
English Bee now has six wins, three of them in stakes, three seconds and three thirds with earnings of $504,740.
"English Bee is a hard knocking, blue collar horse," said Motion. He's a barn favorite. He likes hard turf. We'll probably run him once more and then look at the summer's turf races. He's a lovely horse to be around."
Motion said Calumet will continue to run him rather than retire him to stud.
"It's so hard to establish a turf sire," said Motion.
Flaxman Holdings' Harajuku, a homebred bred in Ireland, was third in the $150,000, G3, 1 3/8 mile The Very One Stakes, a filly and mare 4 years and up race on the turf, losing by only 1 1/2 lengths.
"She could go next to Santa Anita," said Motion.
Motion also saddled Fortune Racing's Candy Light to win a $56,856, 1 mile Maiden Special Weight race at Laurel on Feb.24.
The 3-year-old filly had previously finished second twice in maiden races.
"Candy Light is nominated in a stakes at Laurel next," said Motion. "She was unlucky not to have won before. But that stakes is in three weeks, and I'm not sure I want to run her back that quickly."
McLANE HENDRIKS saddled Hasting Farm's homebred Jean Valjean to win first time out in a $26,000, 6 furlong Waiver Maiden Claiming race at Parx on March 1.
Jean Valjean raced close to the pace and drew clear in the stretch to win by 3 lengths.
Hendriks, who only recently started training, having taken over his mother, Liz Merryman's stable, has already saddled one horse, Witty, to win two stakes plus now this maiden winner.
