Mott sends out Grand Job as the horse to beat in a competitive Madison Stakes

The daughter of Justify leads a compact, high-level field at Keeneland, where every entrant is a stakes winner

Grand Job winning the Inside Information Stakes / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

LEXINGTON, KY (Special to Turf Diario)— Quality runs deep in Saturday’s Resolute Racing Madison Stakes (G1)at Keeneland, a $650,000 sprint where Hall of Famer Bill Mott holds the high cards. Leading the charge is Grand Job, the 2-1 program favorite coming off a decisive victory in the Inside Information Stakes (G2).

The Justify mare has been a different animal since moving to the Mott barn, winning four of her last six starts. Her tactical versatility and current form make her the one to beat as she reunites with jockey Junior Alvarado. Mott also saddles Ragtime, a Union Rags filly who proved her mettle last season with a win in the Dogwood (G3) and a heartbreakingly close second in the Test (G1). John Velazquez has the mount for her seasonal reappearance.

The "Mott duo" faces a formidable challenger in Clicquot. The Brendan Walsh trainee was last seen finishing a creditable fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) following a high-level three-year-old season that included a score in the Cotillion (G1). The cutback to seven furlongs is the wild card for the daughter of Quality Road, who has done her best work around two turns.

The depth of the field is underlined by the fact that every single one of the eight runners is a stakes winner. Positioned as a premier attraction on a card featuring the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), the Madison promises a high-speed chess match where top-tier talent and tactical execution will decide the winner.