So far as Anthony Fanticola is anxious, age is simply merely a quantity.
At the very least that is the best way it appears to be in his racing secure as the celebs he is owned generally tend to age like positive wine.
That’s the case for Motorious , who didn’t compete in his first stakes race till he was 5. Now, at 7, the Muhaarar gelding has the respect of being the 7-2 morning-line favourite in a matchup in opposition to the quickest horses on the earth Nov. 1: the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash (G1T).
“The fun of profitable is one thing else to behold,” the 83-year-old Fanticola stated. “It retains you younger.”
Profitable actually appears to be retaining Motorious younger as he’s in the perfect type of his profession. In his final 5 begins, he is rallied off 4 graded triumphs with the lone blemish being a neck defeat to Starlust in final 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash.Join BloodHorse Every day
“He is gotten higher. He is gotten a little bit older, however so have I,” Fanticola stated. “I believe Motorious has gotten extra seasoned. (Coach) Phil D’Amato has accomplished an amazing job with him.”
A former vp for Kroger and a Jiffy Lube franchisee for the final 35 years, Fanticola’s entry into Thoroughbred racing over twenty years got here from a need to personal a sports activities crew.
“I did not have $2 or $3 billion laying round, so I obtained a couple of horses,” Fanticola stated.
Picture: Benoit PhotoAnthony Fanticola has a hug for jockey Antonio Fresu after Motorious’ victory within the Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita Park
These few horses had been owned in partnership together with his shut good friend, Joe Scardino, who died in 2018 at 86.
“I want he was nonetheless right here to take pleasure in this,” Fanticola stated. “However it was run that we had. Joe was a seasoned veteran with racing. I am not that good, so I encompass myself with people who find themselves a lot better than I’m with the racing.”
A few of these folks embrace Craig Rounsefell of Boomer Bloodstock, who chosen Motorious for $317,956 on the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Coaching Sale, and coach D’Amato.
D’Amato was a longtime assistant for distinguished Southern California coach Mike Mitchell. Mitchell educated a number of years for Fanticola and Scardino till he handed the operation to D’Amato in 2014 as his well being deteriorated. He died in 2015.
D’Amato was reduce from the identical fabric, and the pair didn’t have any concepts of constructing a change.
“Phil was an amazing scholar of Mike Mitchell’s,” Fanticola stated. “I believe Phil might be some of the educated, skilled, trustworthy, and upfront trainers there may be on the observe. He provides you a straight reply, whether or not you prefer it or not.”
That ability set of D’Amato’s blended with the endurance of an proprietor like Fanticola, who lets his coach take the reins on most choices, have led to Motorious’ extended success.Â
“My horses, I wish to run them the place they wish to run,” Fanticola stated. “Motorious loves Del Mar, so I would like him to run at Del Mar as a lot as potential. We deal with our horses properly, we do not race them each 4, six, eight weeks. We race them once they’re prepared. I depart that to Phil D’Amato to make that decision.”
Nevertheless, that is no flash within the pan, however slightly a confirmed formulation. On Saturday, Motorious will be part of a brief record of horses to have run thrice within the World Championships, but nonetheless wants two extra to interrupt his personal barn’s document.
That title belongs to Clearly , who Fanticola and Scardino campaigned for 5 Breeders’ Cup appearances. Racing within the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) from 2012-15, he lastly broke by means of within the 2016 Turf Dash at age 8 at Santa Anita Park.
“Profitable a Breeders’ Cup is only a thrill. They arrive from everywhere in the world for that,” Fanticola stated. “To lastly win one, he deserved one. We cherished him, he was simply thrilling. He had an entire fan gathering each time he ran.”
Picture: Skip DicksteinObviously wins the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash at Santa Anita Park
The 2 horses couldn’t be extra totally different when it comes to working model. Clearly was fast out of the gate, and carried that velocity by means of the wire. Motorious, then again, is one that may be counted on to be giving his greatest late, launching thrilling stretch drives to run down his competitors.
“(Motorious) is an efficient finisher,” Fanticola stated. “It is a matter of whether or not he will get a clear journey and place so he could make his run.”
Each working kinds are equally thrilling to Fanticola so long as it ends with a visit to the winner’s circle. It is high quality over amount as he sometimes solely retains a small variety of horses—Motorious at the moment being certainly one of solely two he owns totally whereas holding shares in a handful of others with companions.
But, because of his two hard-knocking geldings, Fanticola has participated in seven of the final 13 Breeders’ Cups. He additionally co-owned Tony Ann , who ran with Motorious within the 2023 Turf Dash.
Motorious is not going to be the one horse in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup with a connection to Fanticola. In case you look carefully on the pedigrees, you will spot the identify Fanticola because the dam of Mile entrant Formidable Man . The identify will not be a coincidence as she was campaigned by means of her 24-race profession by Fanticola and Scardino.
Fanticola, the particular person, had initially wished to call the filly after Scardino. Nevertheless, they found that the identify was already taken.
“I stated, ‘Joe, who took your identify? You higher go discover out,'” Fanticola instructed his good friend. Scardino then steered they as an alternative named her Fanticola.
On debut, the Silent Identify  filly completed second to future Corridor of Famer and three-time Breeders’ Cup winner Beholder . She went on to win the 2015 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) amongst two stakes triumphs and positioned in an extra 4 graded stakes, together with a runner-up end within the 2015 Gamely Stakes (G1T), whereas incomes $561,986.
Formidable Man, a son of Metropolis of Gentle  educated by Michael McCarthy for William Warren Jr. and Suzanne Warren, has adopted in his dam’s footsteps by taking a liking to the turf, profitable two grade 1s amongst 5 graded triumphs.
“She had coronary heart. That was mare,” Fanticola stated. “That is a cool factor to have certainly one of her sons in there. I will be rooting for him.”
However the first order of enterprise Saturday stays centered on Motorious breaking by means of for his long-awaited Breeders’ Cup win.
“I’ve obtained one Breeders’ Cup underneath my belt,” Fanticola stated. “I might wish to get yet another.”
