William I. Mott

William I. Mott
William I. Mott
Occupation	Trainer
Born	July 29, 1953 (age 70); Mobridge, South Dakota
Career wins	5,427+ (ongoing)
Major racing wins
	Black Gold Stakes (1984); Blue Grass Stakes (1984); Edgewood Stakes; (1984, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010); Appalachian Stakes (1995, 2002); Beldame Stakes(2020); Carter Handicap (2022); [Apple Blossom Handicap]] (1984, 1985, 1998); Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Inv. Handicap; (1987, 2005); Man o' War Stakes (1987); Cornhusker Handicap (1988); Churchill Downs Stakes (2023); Jim Dandy Stakes (1990, 1995, 1998); Brooklyn Handicap (1992, 1996); Hollywood Derby (1992, 2008); Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (1993); Jersey Derby (1993, 2000); Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (2023); Lamplighter Handicap; (1993, 1995, 2000, 2003); Lexington Stakes; (1993, 1995, 2000, 2006); Test Stakes (1993, 2000); Just A Game Stakes; (1994, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2016); Arlington Million (1994); Jenny Wiley Stakes; (1994, 1996, 2006, 2007); Turf Classic Stakes (1994, 2004, 2018); Washington, D.C. International Stakes (1994); Canadian International Stakes (1995); Donn Handicap (1995, 1996); Hollywood Gold Cup (1995); Jockey Club Gold Cup (1995, 2012, 2013, 2022); Pimlico Special (1995); Oaklawn Handicap (1995, 1996); Woodward Stakes (1995, 1996, 2018); Suburban Handicap (1996); Mother Goose Stakes (1997); Black Helen Handicap (1998, 2000); Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (1998, 2001); Royal Palm Handicap (2001); Virginia Derby (2002, 2003); Diana Handicap (2005, 2006, 2007); Hopeful Stakes (2007); Alabama Stakes (2005, 2011); Pacific Classic Stakes (2008); Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (2023); Metropolitan Handicap (2023) American Classics wins:; Belmont Stakes (2010); Kentucky Derby (2019) Breeders' Cup wins:; Breeders' Cup Turf (1987, 1992); Breeders' Cup Classic (1995, 2011); Breeders' Cup Distaff; (1997, 1998, 2010, 2011, 2012); Breeders' Cup Mile (2016); International race wins:; Dubai World Cup (1996)
Racing awards
	Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer; (1995, 1996, 2011, 2023); Big Sport of Turfdom Award (1996)
Honors
	Fair Grounds Racing Hall of Fame; (1997); National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (1998)
Significant horses
	Ajina, Art Collector (horse), Cigar, Cody's Wish, Drosselmeyer, Elite Power, Escena, Favorite Trick, Fraise, My Typhoon, Olympiad, Paradise Creek, Royal Anthem, Royal Delta, Theatrical, Tourist, Country House

William I. "Bill" Mott (born July 29, 1953, in Mobridge, South Dakota) is an American horse trainer, most notable for his work with Cigar. Mott earned the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in 1995 and 1996. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1998 at the age of 45, becoming the youngest thoroughbred trainer ever inducted. Mott started training thoroughbreds at age 15 and won the South Dakota Futurity with Kosmic Tour before he was out of high school. He worked his way up the ranks by becoming first an exercise rider, then an assistant trainer for Hall of Fame Trainer Jack Van Berg. In 1976, Mott, trainer Frank Brothers (who was also Van Berg's assistant trainer), and a stable crew guided Van Berg's horses through the wins at Sportsman's, Hawthorne and Arlington Park race tracks in Chicago. They were so successful that Van Berg was named leading trainer at Arlington Park and leading trainer in the Nation with 496 wins in 1976, a record that stood until Steve Asmussen broke it in 2003 with 555 wins. Asmussen broke his own record in 2008 and 2009. Mott worked as an assistant trainer for Van Berg for three years before striking out on his own in 1978.

On the July 28, 2007, ABC Sports broadcast of the Diana Handicap, Hall of Fame jockey and race commentator Jerry Bailey said Mott is generally regarded as the best trainer for racing on turf in the United States.