Mott wins 27 races at Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS - In the paddock before the Hopeful, the fans crowded around 3-5 favorite Ready's Image and 8-5 second choice Maimonides. As he was walked in the shade of one of the grand old trees, Majestic Warrior whinnied loudly and often, as if to say, "Hey, don't forget about me!"

He won't be ignored again. Storming from about 10 lengths back in the small field of four 2-year-old colts, Majestic Warrior ($15) ran down Ready's Image inside the eighth pole to win the 103rd running of the $250,000 Grade I stakes.

Owned by George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stable, Majestic Warrior provided a giant cherry on top of trainer Bill Mott's six weeks of sundaes. Mott won a career-high 27 races at the Spa and won or tied for the meet training title for the ninth time. The homebred Majestic Warrior, a son of 2000 Test and Ballerina winner Dream Supreme, was the first Hopeful winner and only the second starter ever in the race for Mott, who until this summer was not known for winning with 2-year-olds.

"We came with the right one," he said. "Words can't describe (the meet) for me. This really tops it off."

Ready's Image, second by 2-1/4 lengths, was caught up in a front-end duel with Maimonides.

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