Issue link: http://nytbreeders.epubxp.com/i/471532
40 New York Breeder | nytbreeders.org | March 2015 William Schettine's Isabelle wins the Broadway on Valentine's Day ADAM COGLIANESE/NYRA RILEY MOTT, SON OF Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, is overseeing a string of his father's Thoroughbreds in New York this winter. The recent graduate of the University of Kentucky, who holds a degree in economics, is making a habit of posing for photos in the winner's circle alongside William Schettine's 4-year-old Isabelle. Since transferring to the Mott barn from trainer Lisa Lewis, the New York-bred daughter of Successful Appeal, out of the Gold Fever mare Merrill Gold, has now cap - tured two consecutive races this year— capped by the $100,000 Broadway Stakes Feb. 14. "We give them lots of peppermints and lots of love in our barn," said Riley Mott of the Valentine's Day win. "She came to us with a good record (three- for six). She was already a stakes win - ner (having taken the Bouwerie Stakes gate-to-wire in May 2014). Now she's a stakes winner for us. Like all of our new horses, we get them into our routine, fgure out their quirks, and treat them as individuals. (Isabelle) has really come around." After nearly six months on the side - lines, Isabelle returned to the races with an allowance optional claiming win from just off the pace in a strong feld on Jan. 29, sprinting over Aqueduct's inner track. The trio of main contenders from that event (Isabelle, Blithely, and Atlan - tic's Smile) returned for the six-furlong Broadway, along with four others (in - cluding Vicki's Dancer) displaying solid race records to make the task of repeat - ing even more diffcult. Isabelle raced in ffth position be - neath jockey Junior Alvarado early and had to check when a speed horse to her outside progressed toward the paceset - ters. The track had been playing kindly to both the rail path and runners on the lead throughout the card. So when Isabelle turned into the stretch fve-wide and several lengths behind, still racing in ffth, the deck appeared somewhat stacked against her. Inside the eighth pole, however, Isabelle asserted her class and simply outfnished a game group of runners, pulling clear while being hand-ridden through the fnal 50 yards to an impres - sive 1 1 ⁄4-length victory in 1:12.23. Bred in the Empire State by Blue - grass Farm Partners and Jeffrey Tucker and purchased by Schettine at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of preferred New York-breds for $100,000, Isabelle has now won fve of eight career starts and has earned $281,400. Charlton Baker, who owns and trains two New York-bred winners on the Val - entine's Day-card—Possessed (by Posse) and Verismilitude (by Henny Hughes)— also fnished second and third in the Broadway. The feet Francis Paolangeli homebred Atlantic's Smile (by Stormy Atlantic) took the runner-up spot after setting a pressured pace throughout, and Baker's own Make the Moment (by Indygo Shiner) claimed the minor spoils in third by rallying resolutely at the rail. Baker, who was born in Jamaica, began his stable in 1997 at Finger Lakes with just two horses. By the fol - lowing year he had 17 Thoroughbreds under his tutelage. Still, it's been a long, relentless climb to relevancy for the conditioner. "I have owners with some decent horses now. That's what's happened with me. You need the horses to make an impact, especially in New York," said Baker, the only African-American trainer who currently competes on the New York Racing Association circuit. "In a way it feels special (being the lone African-American trainer at Aqu- educt). There just aren't a lot of us in - volved right now. There used to be a lot of grooms and hotwalkers when I frst came around. But that's changed. There aren't many African-Americans involved in racing. But it's great (for me to be vis - ible) because if somebody else sees me, they'll believe that they can get to this same spot, to a point where they can be - come a trainer and actually do OK." Sweet Spot B Y PA U L V O L P O N I Isabelle wins the six-furlong Broadway in 1:12.23