Mott talks up his Super Saturday contenders

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will be well-represented on

Belmont Park's Super Saturday with Royal Delta set to defend her title in the Grade 1,

$400,000 Beldame

Invitational, Flat Out attempting to turn the hat trick in the Grade 1, $1

million Jockey

Club Gold Cup Invitational, Slumber heading to the Grade 1, $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf

Classic Invitational, Ron the Greek in either the Jockey Club Gold Cup or the

Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Invitational Handicap and possibly White Rose for the Grade 1,

$600,000

Flower Bowl Invitational.

"Slumber is doing well," Mott said of the five-year-old British-bred son of

Cacique, who won an optional claimer at Saratoga each of the past two summers.

"He's two-for-two with us; it's only taken two years to get those wins, but he's

doing fine. He's stepped up twice for us, and he hasn't done anything wrong, and

he trains well. Hopefully, he'll figure."

Flat Out, winner of the 2011 and 2012 editions of the

Jockey Club Gold Cup, has a record of 5-0-1 from six starts at Belmont Park and

may be joined in the 1 1/4-mile race by Ron the Greek, sixth in last year's

edition.

"Flat Out has never disappointed anybody here," Mott

noted of the seven-year-old, second by a head to Alpha in the Grade 1 Woodward last out.

"He's doing well and he certainly likes it here. With Ron the Greek, initially,

it was my idea to try him at a flat mile, but I'm fine with it if the owners

decide to go in the Jockey Club Gold Cup."

Two-time Eclipse Award winner Royal Delta has won her past

two races by a combined winning margin of 15 1/4 lengths, most recently beating

Authenticity in the Personal Ensign Handicap at Saratoga. In the

Beldame, she will be confronted with a field that could include the Todd

Pletcher-trained Authenticity and her stablemate, multiple Grade 1 winner

Princess of Sylmar, star of the Kentucky Oaks, Coaching Club American Oaks

and Alabama.

"She's a serious filly," Mott said of Princess of Sylmar,

who will be facing older horses for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile Beldame.

"You can't take her for granted. But Royal Delta is doing well. I would say it

seems she's on the same path she was last year (en route to her second Breeders'

Cup Distaff win)."

Mott added that Close Hatches, who Saturday at Parx

Racing added a second Grade 1 to her resume when taking the Cotillion,

emerged from her victory in good order.

"She was a little fresh but she went right to the leaders

and put them away and won the race," he said. "She did it with authority."

In other Super Saturday news, The Lumber Guy is scheduled to have his final

breeze for the Vosburgh either Monday or Tuesday, according to trainer Mike Hushion.

Looking to defend his title in the six-furlong Vosburgh

Invitational and earn a trip back to the Breeders' Cup Sprint, The Lumber Guy

came off a six-month layoff on August 23 to finish second in the restricted

Chowder's First overnight stakes at Saratoga. The gray Grand Slam colt has

worked twice since, including a bullet five-furlong move in :59 2/5 on September

14.

"He's a big, strong horse and he hadn't really run his race

since (finishing second to Trinniberg last year in) the Breeders' Cup," Hushion

said of The Lumber Guy, who remained in California during the winter and

finished seventh twice at Santa Anita in the Malibu and San

Carlos. "At least, that's how I consoled myself after the race at Saratoga. But,

between that race and his work on the 14th, there will be no excuses this time."

Overall, the New York-bred four-year-old is 4-2-0 from 10

starts, with earnings of $756,300, including a victory in last year's Jerome.

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