Motorious (GB)

Motorious, a Muhaarar gelding, began his racing career in his native England, where he won two of seven starts, before moving to California. He finished second and third in his first two races for trainer Phil D’Amato before winning a five-furlong turf sprint at Del Mar by a length on Nov. 27, 2022.

The bay gelding kicked off his 5-year-old campaign in 2023 with another win, this time by 3 ¼ lengths on Santa Anita Park’s downhill turf course, before moving up to stakes company in the Clocker’s Corner Stakes Jan. 29 on the same course.

Motorious finished second in that stakes debut but improved for his second attempt in the March 5 Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes at Santa Anita. He patiently sat in second behind pacesetter Brickyard Ride before taking over at the top of the stretch and drawing clear under jockey Flavien Prat to win the San Simeon by 2 ¼ lengths over late-running Anarchist.

Motorious left southern California for a foray to Churchill Downs and finished second in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint on May 6. He then returned to SoCal for his next start and maintained his good form with a win in the Grade 3 $150,000 Green Flash Stakes at five furlongs on the turf at Del Mar on Sept. 2. In the Green Flash, Motorious raced in mid-pack in a big field and moved up to challenge for the lead in mid-stretch and powered away late to a1 3/4 length score.

Motorious lost his final start of 2023 and his first two starts of 2024 but then returned to Del Mar again on Aug. 31, 2024 to go for a repeat win in the Grade 3 $150,000 Green Flash Handicap going five furlongs on the turf. He was able to do just that. Motorious used a strong late kick to close from ninth to get up in time for a three-quarters of a length victory atop a field of 10 in a time of :56.14.

Motorious used the Green Flash as a springboard towards his next goal which was the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 2 at Del Mar, where he finished second by a neck in an 11-horse field.

Motorious concluded his eventful 2024 campaign with a victory in the Grade 2 $200,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes going 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita on Dec. 28. Motorious staked the pace and battled in the stretch to win by a neck atop an eight-horse field.

Motorious is out of the winning and Group 3-placed Pastoral Pursuits mare Squash.