Graham Motion gunning for seventh Dick Memorial win

From a Delaware Park release

If there was ever a Delaware Park race synonymous with a Kentucky Derby-winning trainer, it is the $200,000 Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial. H. Graham Motion, who won the Kentucky Derby with Animal Kingdom in 2011, has won six of the last 14 renewals run on the grass.

Last year, the race named after a former chairman of the Delaware Racing Commission, was transferred to the main track. Though Motion has not won the last four renewals, the 48-year-old native of Cambridge, England will have two shots to return to his winning ways when 13 fillies and mares go postward in the mile and three-eighths turf race with an approximate post time of 3:45 p.m. this Saturday.

“Because we have enjoyed success in this race, it is always on my radar, so I am always thinking about what horses to point toward this stake,” said Motion. “It is always a lot of fun to have success in a certain race.  It is a race in which we have been lucky, and we have won it with some really nice mares. A few of those have become really nice brood mares. Hopefully, we will make a good showing this year.”

In 1999, he won his first Robert Dick with Bursting Forth. He won his next in 2002 with New Economy, who produced the stakes-winning filly New Normal. He followed by winning both the 2003 and 2004 renditions with Alternate, who produced the multiple stakes-winning colt Alternation. In 2007, he won with Rosinka, and in 2009 he won with Caprice.

After being winless in 2013, Andrew Stone’s Concise will be seeking her first career stake victory.  In her most recent outing, the 4-year-old notched a 1 ½-length triumph in a mile and an eighth turf allowance at Belmont Park on May 25.  In her only other outing this year, the Great Britain-bred daughter of Lemon Drop Kid ran third in a mile and a half  turf allowance at Keeneland on April 19.  Last year, she posted a record of a second and two thirds from seven starts including a third in Grade I Garden City at Belmont Park.  She has a career record of two wins, a second, and four thirds from 12 starts with earnings of $147,412.

“Concise was pretty competitive in stakes last year as a 3-year-old,” said trainer H. Graham Motion.  “She tailed off and did not run very well in the Queen Elizabeth II.  After that race, we gave her a break.  She won her last race, an allowance at Belmont.  So, this is a big step for her, and hopefully she will run well.”

Bobby Flay’s Auld Alliance will also be seeking her first career stake victory.  In her last start, the 4-year-old ran seventh on the grass in the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup on June 6.  Previously, in her North America debut, the Ireland-bred daughter of Montjeu won a mile and a quarter turf allowance at Belmont Park on May 7.  Last year, she posted a record of a win, a second and two thirds from five starts while campaigning in England.  She has a lifetime record of two wins, two seconds and two thirds from eight starts with earnings of $58,722.

“Auld Alliance is very similar to Concise,” Motion said.  “She recently won a Belmont allowance and she has got some talent and ability, but she is taking a step up as well, but I think she will run well.”

Brereton Jones’ She’s Not Lazy finished second recently in the $50,000 Justakiss at Delaware Park.  Previously, the 4-year-old daughter of Tiznow ran third in a Churchill Downs turf allowance on April 30.  The Kentucky-bred has a career record of two wins, two seconds, and two thirds from nine starts with earnings of $104,485.

“She will run turf or dirt,” Motion said.  “If the race stays on the turf, it is within her range and if the race comes off, she has shown she can run well on dirt.  Her last start was taken off the turf and she did run very well.  With the weather forecast not being great is nice to have her in there as well.”

NOTES AND ENTRIES

• 12 of the 17 runnings of the Robert G. Dick Memorial have been won by Kentucky Derby winning and/or Hall of Fame trainers.
• Al Stall, Jr. trainee Treasured Up took the 2013 running of the race, which was taken off the turf.  It was one of two stakes victories for the then-four-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly in 2013.
• Two horses have won two runnings of the Robert Dick: Alternative for Graham Motion in 2003 and 2004 and Honey Ryder for Todd Pletcher the following two years.

$200,000 Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial

For 3-year-olds & upward fillies & mares

At One Mile and Three-Eighths (Turf)