When the entries for the Queen’s Cup allowance timber were finalized Friday, April 23, trainer Ted Thompson cautioned Motivational’s owners.
“Storm Team would have to be hit by a meteor for us to beat him,” the Tennessee horseman said.
No flaming rocks fell from the sky near Charlotte, N.C., April 24, but torrential rains turned the turf from firm to slick in a matter of hours. And it proved to be the perfect storm for Motivational.
“My horse loves soft ground,” Thompson said. “It was a nice surprise.”
Tom Garner gave the 9-year-old a patient ride, stalking front-running Storm Team from the outside for most of the 3-mile race. But in the last half mile, the Jack Fisher trainee picked up the pace and Motivational made his move.
Neck-and-neck in a flat and fast run to the last, Motivational stumbled at the last fence. Hard.
“I thought, ‘Oh man, here we go,’” Thompson said. “My heart was in my foot.”
But Garner didn’t fumble. He picked up the pieces, put them together and pushed Motivational past Storm Team in the stretch.
“I really didn’t believe it until it was over,” Thompson said. “Tom gave him a great ride.”
The son of Afleet Express caught Thompson’s eye when he saw the gelding in a maiden hurdle at Monmouth Park. With timber in mind, Thompson put together a syndicate and claimed Motivational from Riverdee Stable and Jack Fisher in November 2018. Thompson trains Motivational along with one other chaser, Jump Ship, at his Cornersville, Tenn., base.
No longer a maiden over timber, Thompson plans to take on a timber allowance at the Iroquois Steeplechase June 26.
“All of his owners live in Nashville,” he said. “So it makes sense to go there next.”
