Ron the Greek prepares ahead of the Oaklawn Handicap
The 5-year-old horse, Ron The Greek, has been revolutionised since joining Hall of Fame trainer, Bill Mott’s stable last summer, and since then the Full Mandate horse has gone on to land three races out of 4 starts for the veteran conditioner.
Ron the Greek’s most significance race under Bill Mott was a win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in his last start. Going over a distance of 1 ¼ miles in the absence of the last year’s winner, Game on Dude, Ron the Greek became Setsuko’s tormentor, downing
the rampant colt in second place in second year running by a convincing margin of 3 ½ lengths.
His only blemish under Bill Mott was a second place finish in the 2012 seasonal debut at Gulfstream Park in the Sunshine Millions Classic to winner, Mucho Macho Man.
Bill Mott raced Ron the Greek at Aqueduct last year, and in 2 starts he was perfect at the New York based race course landing the Sunny and Mild Stakes at about 1 1/8 miles, and then capping off his season with a win in the Queens County Stakes over a distance
of 1 3/16 miles.
Owned by Jack T. Hammer, Brous Stable, and Wachtel Stable Ron the Greek is now being readied for his third start of the campaign in the Grade 2, $400,000 Oaklawn Handicap.
Ron the Greek will pick up two pounds extra going into the Oaklawn Handicap which will equal him with the Grade 1 Donn Handicap winner, Hymn Book, and both will carry a highweight honours of 118 pounds.
“That seems fair,” said Mott. “You would expect to pick that up. Of course, this will be a different situation. It’s always a challenge with a new group of horses, a new surface and a new trip to get there. But that’s what they’re supposed to do when you
run in these races.”
Mott worked Ron the Greek on the morning of 9 April, 2012, breezing half a mile in 49 1/5 seconds, and added that he will be shipping Ron the Greek to Oaklawn Park on 11 April, 2012.
Tags: