Amo Racing has demonstrated a continued willingness to make bold moves both on the racetrack and in the sale ring during its relatively brief involvement in the Thoroughbred industry.
One such example was starting 66-1 shot King of Steel in the 2023 Epsom Derby (G1), the gray making just his third lifetime start and his first in eight months. He owned a form line, too, that showed merely a 2-year-old debut win, followed by a seventh of eight in the Futurity Trophy Stakes (G1). Despite his odds, King of Steel repaid Amo's faith with a fine second to Auguste Rodin, beaten a half-length after holding a lead entering the last furlong. He'd go on to win the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) and Champion Stakes (G1) later that year.
Another Amo horse who has charted a not dissimilar course and who could yet garner a classic victory is Hill Road. A $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate, Hill Road began his racing career in Ireland. An impressive five-length winner of a one-mile Leopardstown maiden special weight, Hill Road reappeared in the National Stakes (G1). Having dropped down to seven furlongs, he was outpaced in the closing stages after racing close up and finished seventh of eight, beaten nine lengths. Undeterred, Amo elected to send Hill Road to the United States for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). In the rear and taking dirt for the first time, Hill Road was still last as the field turned for home, but rallied strongly to take third behind Citizen Bull and Gaming. Hill Road opened his 2025 campaign with a staying third in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), behind subsequent Kentucky Derby (G1) fifth Owen Almighty, and the two-time grade 1 winner Chancer McPatrick.
Sidelined from the Derby trail by a fever after that effort, Hill Road reappeared in the May 10 Peter Pan Stakes (G3), a race frequently utilized as a Belmont Stakes (G1) prep. Hill Road was again towards the rear of the field early, but never more than 6 1/2 lengths off the pace, and he finished up strongly, despite not changing leads, to catch Thorpedo Anna's half brother McAfee.
Hill Road will now head to the Belmont Stakes, where he will attempt to follow 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) victor (and 2024 champion older male) National Treasure as the second son of Quality Road to capture a Triple Crown event. Long established as one of North America's premier sires, the 19-year-old son of Elusive Quality is responsible for 89 stakes winners that include 45 graded and 15 grade 1 winners, among them Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner and champion 3-year-old filly Abel Tasman; champion 2-year-old colt Corniche ; champion 2-year-old filly Caledonia Road; four-time grade 1 winner City of Light ; and, Bellafina, three times successful at the highest level.
Exotic Notion, the dam of Hill Road, was sold for $105,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September sale. She spent her entire racing career in Argentina, where she won three times at up to 10 furlongs and earned black type with a second in the Clasico Jockey Club de Rosario. Returned to the U.S., the daughter of Lemon Drop Kid twice passed through the ring unsold, before realizing $800,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale carrying Hill Road. At the same sale, her weanling colt by Quality Road also was offered. He realized $600,000 but has never been named. The reason for those elevated prices is primarily down to the deeds of Exotic Notion's half brother City of Light, who was mentioned earlier as one of Quality Road's most notable offspring—his victories included the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), Triple Bend Stakes (G1), Malibu Stakes (G1), and Breeders' Cup Mile (G1)—and whose first crop yearlings were in tremendous demand in 2021, averaging $325,075 from 73 sold. Prior to her two Quality Road foals, Exotic Notion produced a filly by War Front that never ran, and she also has a 2-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, purchased by Amo for $510,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale; a yearling colt by Uncle Mo; and, is in foal to Practical Joke .
Exotic Notion's dam, the unraced Paris Notion (by Dehere), is a three-quarters sister to 1997 Test Stakes (G1) victress Fabulously Fast and to graded stakes winner Decelerator. Fabulously Fast is the first foal by Deputy Minister out of Paris Notion's dam, Fabulous Notion, while Decelerator is by Dehere and the first foal out of Paris Rose, a half sister to Paris Notion. Another half sister to Paris Notion is Fabulous Goer (by Easy Goer), who is the granddam of graded stakes winner Royal Lahaina.
Fabulous Notion was a very talented runner who won six black-type events, including the Santa Susana Stakes (G1) and Linda Vista Handicap (G3). Since Fabulous Notion was by Somethingfabulous, a Northern Dancer half brother to Secretariat, and Dehere is by a grandson of Northern Dancer, Paris Notion is inbred 4x3 to Northern Dancer and 4x3 to Somethingroyal, the sire and dam of her broodmare sire.
Fabulous Notion is also half sister to Cacoethes, a top-class son of Alydar, who won the Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) in England, and who also gave the mighty Nashwan a scare in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (G1). Other half siblings to Fabulous Notion include:
- Margaret Booth (Well Decorated), winner of the Torrey Pines Stakes, and runner-up in the Chula Vista Handicap (G2), and ancestress of several stakes winners, including Liberal Arts, successful in the 2023 Street Sense Stakes (G3) at 2, and the Knicks Go Overnight Stakes this year at 4,
- Not So Careless (Desert Wine), the dam of Subordination, whose victories included the Hollywood Derby (G1T) and Eddie Read Handicap (G1T);
- Careless Virgin (Wing Out), the granddam of 1998 champion grass mare Fiji, and third dam of 2013 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) scorer Java's War; and,
- Careless Aly (Alydar), third dam of 2020 Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) heroine Peaceful.
The family goes back to Gravitation, the fourth dam of 1936 Horse of the Year, champion 3-year-old colt, and Belmont Stakes winner Granville, and a very close relative to Pitti, the granddam of the 1928 Kentucky Derby hero, Reigh Count, who was linebred to this family and subsequently sired Triple Crown winner Count Fleet.
Both Hill Road's sire, Quality Road, and his three-quarters brother, City of Light, found nine furlongs to be the absolute limit of their stamina, but Hill Road has a different racing style, and with a dam who won over 10 furlongs, and who is daughter of Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, he should have no trouble with the Belmont trip, especially since this year's race will be contested over 10 furlongs at Saratoga Race Course rather the normal 12 furlongs at Belmont Park, which is being renovated.
