Bill Mott's Latest Derby Hope Could Prove To Be His Best

Bill Mott has won more races and saddled more stakes winners at Churchill Downs than any trainer who ever walked in the shadow of the track's historic Twin Spires. But despite all of his success at the Louisville track, Mott has never come close to winning the track's greatest race.

That could change this year as Mott is in a most enviable spot in the early stages of the journey to Churchill Downs for the 134th running of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby presented by Yum Brands (Grade I) on Saturday, May 3.

He has waited for this opportunity for a long time. Mott once joked that he had been around Churchill Downs so long that he could remember "when you could see all the way across the infield." But Mott, who has at least six possible Derby contenders in his care at this point, seems likely to return to Kentucky this spring with a solid shot -- or two or three -- to finally win America's greatest race.

He entered 2008 with four obvious contenders -- Remsen (GII) winner Court Vision; Hopeful (GI) winner Majestic Warrior; Z Humor, third in the Champagne (GI) and a dead-heat winner of the Delta Jackpot;and Riley Tucker, runner-up in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII). All of horses have displayed great promise and possess pedigrees that point to possible success along the road to Churchill Downs, but a fifth contender turned heads earlier this week at Gulfstream Park.

The horse is Zayat Stable LLC's Alaazo, a son of A.P. Indy who returned from a long layoff to win a 1 1/8-mile allowance race for Mott on Feb. 4 at Gulfstream Park. The $300,000 yearling purchase rallied from just off the pace under jockey Kent Desormeaux to win by 3 1/2 lengths. He covered the distance in 1:51.20 over a "fast" track and picked up a solid Beyer speed figure of 85 in the process.

The race was the first for Alaazo since Aug. 25, when rallied to win a one-mile maiden race at Monmouth Park by a neck. It was an impressive comeback by a horse that is bred for the Kentucky Derby distance. He figured to be fit and ready in his return to racing -- few trainers rank with the 54-year-old Mott when it comes to bringing a horse off a layoff ready to run -- and natural progression after that should have him stepping up to face tougher competition not far down the road.

Despite a win record at Churchill Downs that might never be threatened, Mott has competed in only four Kentucky Derbies. His best finish to date has been eighth.

All of his current Derby contenders have displayed plenty of reasons to be well-regarded with just under three months remaining before the Kentucky Derby. But while Court Vision and Majestic Warrior are proven stars, Alaazo is perhaps the most intriguing member of Mott's Derby quintet. He has yet to lose, has a better Derby pedigree than any of his stablemates, and should only get better from here on out.

He doesn't have the seasoning of most of his stablemates, but he won at two, has already won at eight and nine furlongs, and has one of America's greatest trainers in his corner. His win, along with the pair of victories by Crown of Thorns at Santa Anita, Z Fortune's win in the Lecomte, El Gato Malo's San Rafael romp, and a strong allowance win by the Barclay Tagg-trained Elysium Fields have been the biggest eye-catchers for me so far on the road to the Derby. But I love the upside potential in Alaazo's win. In this corner, his next race will be one of the most anticipated runs at this early stage of the journey to Kentucky Derby 134.