Bill Mott never has won a Triple Crown race but the Hall of Fame trainer has done exceptionally well in Arlington Park’s summer series of grass races for 3-year-olds known as the Mid-America Triple.
Mott has had seven winners in Mid-America Triple competition — three in the Arlington Classic, two in the American Derby and two in the Secretariat.
Leading off the 2007 series will be the Grade III $150,000 Arlington Classic and Mott will saddle Vaunt, the 5-2 favorite in the field of nine.
The bay son of the Irish-bred stallion Averti and the Great Britain-bred mare Boast began his career in England. His races there were confined to minor tracks and he was a sprinter, winning twice and placing twice in six outings.
When Vaunt moved to Southern California last fall he stepped up in class and was introduced to graded stakes competition. A second in Hollywood Park’s ungraded Harry Henson Stakes was his best effort in five starts for trainer Dan Hendricks, but after that 6-furlong race April 27 he was moved to Mott’s barn. The 1 1/16 -mile Classic is his debut for the nationally renowned trainer.
Mott is one of five high-profile trainers with horses in the race. D. Wayne Lukas is invading with Starbase (4-1); Steve Asmussen with Beta Capo (9-2); Todd Pletcher with Pleasant Strike (6-1); and Patrick Biancone with Quasicobra (8-1).
The most promising of the Arlington-based contestants is Tom Archdeacon (5-1), coming off a victory in the local prep race, the 1-mile Awad Stakes.
“I think this is a good spot to test how good he is,” trainer Austin Smith said.
———-
nmilbert@tribune.com
