Ron the Greek, Flat Out and Royal Delta BC bound after Super Saturday runs

Ron the Greek, Flat Out and Royal Delta BC bound after

Super Saturday runs

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott knows racing can be a capricious endeavor,

which is why on Sunday he expressed appreciation for Ron the Greek's dynamic

victory in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational and hope that Flat

Out and Royal Delta move forward off their losses on Saturday.

Ron the Greek won the Gold Cup by 6 3/4 lengths at 21-1 and earned a BRIS Speed of 112. Mott also trains Flat Out, winner of the 2011 and 2012

editions of the race, who finished 8 1/2 lengths behind Ron the Greek in third

as the 5-2 favorite.

"There wouldn't have been many horses who would have beaten (Ron the Greek)

yesterday," Mott noted. "He might have fired his best shot right there. I'm not

(going to be) disappointed if he doesn't fire that one back."

It was the second win in seven starts this year for Ron the Greek, who took the

Sunshine Millions Classic for Florida-breds by 11 1/4 lengths in January at

Gulfstream Park. In 2012, Ron the Greek captured the Santa Anita and

Stephen Foster Handicaps and was sixth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Saturday's race was just the second loss in seven starts at Belmont Park for

Flat Out, who had won the 2011 and 2013 Suburban Handicaps and 2013 Westchester

in addition to his pair of Gold Cup triumphs.

"It was good. Maybe not his 'A' race, but it was a very good race," Mott

said of

Flat Out's performance on Saturday. "Steady. That's the kind of race that you

can go to the Breeders' Cup with and maybe have a little bit more confidence

that you haven't overdone it."

Two-time Eclipse champion Royal Delta was second, beaten two lengths by

three-year-old Princess of Sylmar, in her attempt to win the Grade 1 Beldame

Invitational for a second straight year.

"She looks great," Mott remarked. "I'm not sure she ran her best race yesterday. She

might have a better one in her than that. I'm pretty sure she does. I think her

last two were better than that, so hopefully she'll come back next time and give

us a good one."

Ron the Greek, Flat Out and Royal Delta all appear to be headed to the

Breeders' Cup in November at Santa Anita, with Ron the Greek and Flat Out

targeting the Classic. Mott said he will talk to owner Benjamin Leon

about whether Royal Delta will compete against males in the Classic or females

in the Distaff.

The trio will continue training in New York for the time being,

according to the conditioner.

Royal Delta was second to Horse of the Year Havre de Grace in the 2011 Beldame before going on to

win the Breeders' Cup Distaff. Last year, she won both the Beldame and the

Distaff. In 2010, Mott won the Distaff with Unrivaled Belle, who was second in

the Beldame.

Plans are more nebulous for Slumber who finished fourth,

beaten 1 1/4 lengths by winner Little Mike, in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, the

five-year-old's

second start this year. Slumber, a listed winner in England, entered the

Turf Classic off a 3 3/4-length victory in an August 15 optional claimer at

Saratoga.

"The bottom line is he missed third by about that much," Mott

said in reference to the head third-placer Real Solution had over Slumber on the

wire. "He kind of

had to alter course at the three-sixteenths pole. He was behind when that horse

backed up on him, and he had to come around two of them.

"I don't know what's

around that's better than that group that ran (in the Turf Classic)."

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