Search the Breeders' Cup biography database for complete bio listings of participants
and horses that are on the road to the Cup. Biographical information is updated
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Graham Motion
Top Associated Horses: Smart Bid,
Spangled Star,
Cat Park,
Giron,
Turf Melody,
Cherokee Artist
Racing Background: Motion came to the United States at age 16 when his father, Michael, now a semi-retired bloodstock agent, moved here as the U.S. rep for Tattersalls, the British sales company ... Motion's mother, Jo, was an amateur jockey in England, worked as an assistant trainer in England and the U.S., and now owns a tack shop in Middleburg, Va. … Motion worked for Jonathan Sheppard from 1985 to 1990, notably with three-time Eclipse Award-winning jumper Flatterer ... Worked briefly in France for Jonathan Pease, during which time he met his wife, Anita, who was working for trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre ... Returned to the U.S. in 1991 and began working for trainer Bernie Bond ... Took over Bond's stable upon Bond's retirement in 1993 ... Calls Sheppard and Bond the two biggest influences on his career: "With Bernie, I took over his horses. Without him I wouldn't have anything. With Jonathan, I worked for him during the formative years."
Racing Career: Motion operates a public stable based primarily at Fair Hill, where he owns his own barn, and at Delaware Park, Keeneland and Saratoga. Currently has about 100 horses in training ... Saddled his first winner, Bounding Daisy, at Laurel Park in 1993 and earned his 1,000th victory at the same track on Nov. 16, 2006 ... In 1993 Gala Spinaway gave Motion his first stakes win (Chase Me Stakes, July 18) and his first graded stakes win (G3 Polynesian Handicap, Aug. 14) ... Posted his first G1 win in the 2003 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland with Film Maker … Through September 2009 had 56 graded stakes wins . . . Known primarily for his development of grass stars, Motion displayed a different dimension in winning Saratoga’s G1 Whitney Stakes with Bullsbay at odds of 18-1 ... “Winning the Whitney was one of the biggest thrills of my career,” said Motion, who was collecting his first grade I on the dirt. “The fact it was a dirt race added to the gratification.” ... Bullsbay, a possibility for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, also captured the G3 Alysheba at Churchill Downs and was third behind Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward (G1) ... Other graded stakes wins in 2009 include the Lake Placid (G2) with Shared Account and Robert Dick (G3) with Caprice ... Scored his biggest career win when Better Talk Now won the 2004 Breeders' Cup Turf at odds of 27-1 ... The gelding shares the record for Breeders’ Cup starts with Kona Gold and Perfect Drift, each with five ... Better Talk returned to the Breeders' Cup Turf in 2005 and finished 7th; in 2006 he finished second; in 2007 he was fourth; and in 2008 he was eighth ... In 2009, at the age of 10, Better Talk Now finished second in the G1 Sword Dancer and third in the G1 Manhattan ... Better Talk Now retired after he sustained a suspensory injury, finishing his remarkable career one race earlier than planned. ... “It’s unlikely he’ll race at 11, though there’s a good chance we’ll keep him around the stable. He’s been in the same stall for seven years now,” Motion said before the injury was discovered. ... Motion called Better Talk Now “the horse of a lifetime ... He’s a dream horse. I’ll never have another like him. He’s the horse that put me on the map and there’s a sentimental attachment to him.” ... With earnings of more than $4.3 million, Better Talk Now is second only to John Henry ($5,269,212) in all-time earnings in North American grass races ... He has raced at 15 U.S. tracks as well as in Tokyo and at Nad al Sheba ... Other recent stakes winners include Lady Digby, Saucey Evening, Indescribable, Adriano, Jade's Revenge, Icabad Crane, Cryptoquip, Kona Blend, and Ballast ... Motion owns three other runner-up finishes in the Breeders’ Cup . . . Rebellion was second in the 2008 Dirt Mile and Film Maker was second in the 2004 and 2006 Filly and Mare Turf. Film Maker was third in 2005 edition of the F&M Turf ... Through Sept. 28, 2009, the Motion stable has won 83 races from 503 starts for earnings of $4,392,725.
NOTE: Bio stats include North American and selected international races. Click here to view selected international race list. Biographies on jockeys, trainers and owners are from the Breeders' Cup World Championships events from 2001 through 2009, and are intended as informational resources. Biographies will be updated if an individual is again a participant in the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Biographies are available for most horses appearing in the top 100 money earnings list, and/or for those who are frequently making headlines in the news starting with the 2006 Triple Crown season.
