Ron the Greek, Flat Out and Royal Delta BC bound after Super Saturday runs

Ron the Greek will try to improve on his fourth in the 2012 BC Classic after romping in the Gold Cup on Super Saturday (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos)

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott knows racing can be a capricious endeavor,
which is why on Sunday he expressed appreciation for Ron the Greek’s dynamic
victory in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational and hope that Flat
Out and Royal Delta move forward off their losses on Saturday.

Ron the Greek won the Gold Cup by 6 3/4 lengths at 21-1 and earned a BRIS Speed of 112. Mott also trains Flat Out, winner of the 2011 and 2012
editions of the race, who finished 8 1/2 lengths behind Ron the Greek in third
as the 5-2 favorite.

“There wouldn’t have been many horses who would have beaten (Ron the Greek)
yesterday,” Mott noted. “He might have fired his best shot right there. I’m not
(going to be) disappointed if he doesn’t fire that one back.”

It was the second win in seven starts this year for Ron the Greek, who took the
Sunshine Millions Classic for Florida-breds by 11 1/4 lengths in January at
Gulfstream Park. In 2012, Ron the Greek captured the Santa Anita and
Stephen Foster Handicaps and was sixth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Saturday’s race was just the second loss in seven starts at Belmont Park for
Flat Out, who had won the 2011 and 2013 Suburban Handicaps and 2013 Westchester
in addition to his pair of Gold Cup triumphs.

“It was good. Maybe not his ‘A’ race, but it was a very good race,” Mott
said of
Flat Out’s performance on Saturday. “Steady. That’s the kind of race that you
can go to the Breeders’ Cup with and maybe have a little bit more confidence
that you haven’t overdone it.”

Royal Delta didn’t let a second in the 2011 Beldame deter her from BC glory (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos)

“She looks great,” Mott remarked. “I’m not sure she ran her best race yesterday. She
might have a better one in her than that. I’m pretty sure she does. I think her
last two were better than that, so hopefully she’ll come back next time and give
us a good one.”

Ron the Greek, Flat Out and Royal Delta all appear to be headed to the
Breeders’ Cup in November at Santa Anita, with Ron the Greek and Flat Out
targeting the Classic. Mott said he will talk to owner Benjamin Leon
about whether Royal Delta will compete against males in the Classic or females
in the Distaff.

The trio will continue training in New York for the time being,
according to the conditioner.

Royal Delta was second to Horse of the Year Havre de Grace in the 2011 Beldame before going on to
win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Last year, she won both the Beldame and the
Distaff. In 2010, Mott won the Distaff with Unrivaled Belle, who was second in
the Beldame.

Plans are more nebulous for Slumber who finished fourth,
beaten 1 1/4 lengths by winner Little Mike, in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, the
five-year-old’s
second start this year. Slumber, a listed winner in England, entered the
Turf Classic off a 3 3/4-length victory in an August 15 optional claimer at
Saratoga.

“The bottom line is he missed third by about that much,” Mott
said in reference to the head third-placer Real Solution had over Slumber on the
wire. “He kind of
had to alter course at the three-sixteenths pole. He was behind when that horse
backed up on him, and he had to come around two of them.