posted May 30, 2008 at 13:02 EST in Triple Crown Betting Trends

Graham Motion is not known for training horses that contend in the Triple Crown races. The most famous horse Motion has trained is the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Better Talk Now.

Not only that, but hailing from Cambridge, England, Motion’s training style is definitely more suited to turf horses. Besides putting the saddle cloth on Better Talk Now, Motion also trained the filly Film Maker who finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf in 2006.

It’s a surprise then to see Graham Motion send Icabad Crane to the Belmont even though the horsefinished 3rd in the Preakness. Five weeks ago, there was another horse that held Motion’s Triple Crown dreams. That horse was Adriano. But like Motion’s only other starter in the Kentucky Derby, Chilito in 1998, Adriano barely made his presence felt in the 1st leg of the Triple Crown.

Motion returned two weeks later with Icabad Crane, the lightly-raced son of A.P. Indy. What Adriano failed to do, Icabad Crane appeared to do, that is nab one of the top three spots in a Triple Crown race. It is Icabad Crane now who carries the hopes of Graham Motion into the 2008 Belmont Stakes.

Motion, like so money other trainers from across the pond, has built a very successful stable here in the United States. Even though there really isn’t a single horse in his barn that any average horseplayer might know besides Better Talk Now, Motion has become a top twenty trainer nationally.

He’s slowly building a reputation as a trainer with exceptional skills as evidenced by his 2008 winning percentage of 20%. His horses have also earned a terrific $2,302,347 so far this year. That ranks Motion at 14th on the earnings list.

Finally, Graham Motion horses have won 45 races out of 222 starts so far this season. Overall, Graham Motion horses have finished in the money in 52% of those 222 starts.

Great stats to be sure, but whether or not they will help Icabad Crane in the Belmont Stakes remains to be seen. Like the rest of his fellow competitors, Icabad Crane is going to have to be perfect if he is going to upset the Triple Crown monster that is Big Brown.

There’s a huge difference between finishing third in the Preakness and first in the Belmont. Then again, there’s a huge difference between finishing 1st in the Preakness and then 1st in the Belmont Stakes.

In that sense nobody can be one-hundred percent sure what either Icabad Crane or Big Brown will do once the gates open in the 2008 Belmont Stakes.

We can be sure of one thing, however. That trainer Graham Motion will have Icabad Crane at a peak fitness level. Whether that will be good enough for the horse to beat Big Brown is another matter.

Check the BetUS Locker Room for the latest info on Horse Racing, Big Brown the Triple Crown, Full Track Odds, Past Triple Crown Winners, and the 2008 Belmont Stakes