William I. Mott Birthdate: July 29, 1953 Birthplace: Mobridge, S.D. Residence: Garden City, N.Y. Family: wife, Tina Marie; daughter, Olivia; sons, Brady and Riley.

2007 Gulfstream Record

  
 Career:

• Second in the standings behind Todd Pletcher the last two seasons, he has ranked among Gulfstream’s top three trainers every year since 1993, the year he won the first of his six straight trainer’s titles. After a second (to Frank Passero Jr.) in 1999, he came back to win titles the next three years.

• From 1992 through 2007, Mott won nine training titles at Saratoga (his latest coming last summer), 10 titles at Belmont Park and his nine here.

• Mott set the record for number of victories at a single Churchill Downs meeting, 54, during the 1984 spring meet.

• He won six stakes at Gulfstream in 2007 - his second straight year with that many stakes victories: Classic Campaign in the Fort Lauderdale, Silver Tree in the Appleton Handicap, High Again in the Bonnie Miss, Sweet Fervor in the Shirley Jones Handicap (Mott’s second straight victory in that race), Sharp Susan in the Herecomesthebride and Istan in the Artax Handicap.

• Mott won three consecutive editions of the Gulfstream Park Handicap (1994-’96) and three straight runnings of Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes (1999-’01). Captured consecutive editions of Breeders’ Cup Distaff in 1997 and ‘98 with Ajina and Escena; both also earned Eclipse Awards.

• He will forever be linked with the exploits of Cigar, the two-time Horse of the Year winner who equaled modern-day record of 16 straight wins from 1994-’96. Four of those victories came at Gulfstream Park, more than at any other track. Other stars include Paradise Creek (champion turf male in 1994), Theatrical (champion turf male and Breeders’ Cup Turf winner in 1987), and Fraise, who captured the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Gulfstream. Mott won Eclipse Awards as top trainer in both 1995 and 1996. He became the youngest trainer inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

• Included in his meet-leading wins at Saratoga in 2007 was the victory by highly ranked 2-year-old Majestic Warrior in the Hopeful Stakes.

• Other:

  Father was a veterinarian who worked with horses and introduced him to the game ... By age 15, was training thoroughbreds at bush meets ... Went to work for Jack Van Berg before going out on his own in 1978 ... Became private trainer for Bert and Diana Firestone in 1986, then partnered with owner Allen Paulson. Keeps a full contingent at Gulfstream during meet and also trains string from Payson Park base.