LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For 43 years, Bill Mott has had a spot on the backside of Churchill Downs.
“I kind of cut my teeth in Kentucky and its been very good,” he said.
Mott is one of the winningest trainers in the history of the track and has saddled 11 starters in the Kentucky Derby.
To be able to participate and especially when one is – it means an awful lot.”
In 2019, he won the big race with Country House, after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for interfering with other horses during the race.
“We didn’t get interfered with that day. I mean, we were just the beneficiary of Maximum Security bothering two or three other horses,” he said.
Mott got to experience the Winner’s Circle, but soon after, the victory didn’t carry much joy.
“I feel terrible that I have to apologize for winning,” he said.
This year, Mott is bringing Rocket Can to the race – a horse that has some bite.
"He's an active horse. I mean he's got he's generally pretty high energy when he's outside. He's good to work around, but by the same token, he's shows you that he's full of himself and we liked that,” he said.
Mott described the colt as a late bloomer and is hoping for a bounce back performance after a disappointing fourth place showing in the Arkansas Derby.
"With a good effort. He probably could have been second in that race, but he just, ran up beside – some of his competition and he just kind of [went] idle, they're running content to run alongside of him. And, you know, we've dressed him up with a set of blinkers and we're going to have blinkers on him for race day."
This time around, Mott is looking for the complete experience.
"Winning the Derby, you know, in a fashion that you crossed the line first would be the best way to do
it."
Perhaps “Rocket Can” get him there.
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