Riley Mott is no stranger to the Breeders’ Cup. As assistant to his father, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, he saw his share of winners, including Cody’s Wish and Elite Power, and then in 2025, the younger Mott sent out his first starter in Argos, who finished eighth in the Juvenile Turf.

This year, Riley Mott brings How’s Al Today to the same race with the goal of wearing a blanket of purple and gold on Future Stars Friday.

How's Al Today at Kentucky Downs (Coady Media)

A son of Munnings, the 2-year-old colt is owned by Al Gold’s Gold Square racing stable, which sent out Cyberknife to a second in the 2022 Dirt Mile and then won its first Triple Crown race with Napoleon Solo’s victory in this year’s Preakness Stakes. How’s Al Today is one of three colts that Mott is training for Gold; he also conditions Roscoe Goose, who finished second in the Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park in early October.

As Future Stars Friday approaches, Riley Mott and his team are focused on getting How’s Al Today ready to face a field of juveniles that could include Great Barrier Reef, winner of the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot; and Folsom Blues, who was victorious in the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at The Curragh.

Getting the Munnings colt to the Brown Advisory Juvenile Turf may not have seemed an obvious goal on debut: How’s Al Today broke his maiden in his first start, a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race on the dirt at Churchill Downs in June.

“He was good enough to win first time out, pretty impressively, at Churchill,” Mott said. “For that reason, we took him to the Saratoga Special [Stakes], and he ran a good third but got beat, probably a dozen lengths or more actually.

“We felt as though there was probably more in the tank for him to give that he wasn’t really showing on the dirt in that particular race. So, we worked him on the turf in Saratoga, and he worked really well. So that was the reason behind pointing for Kentucky Downs after that.”

The colt’s trip to Franklin, Ky., was a successful one. He won a 6 ½-furlong allowance race with Brian Hernandez Jr., in the saddle, and then the pair wheeled back nine days later to win the $750,000 Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Stakes on Sept. 9.

Trainer Riley Mott (Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse)

“We had no clue that he would handle Kentucky Downs, but I think that was part of the reason we ran him back in nine days is that he did handle it. Not every horse does, so I think when they do, you have to take advantage of it if the horse is doing well.”

Mott opted to train up to the one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Oct. 30 rather than try to squeeze in another start.

“While he came out of that race in really good order, I didn’t necessarily want to get greedy and run him well dry,” he said. “We just gave him a minor freshening, I guess you could call it. He’s got a bit more spacing into this race, but he’s training excellently. You know, his works have been good and he has good energy. He’s coming into the race the way we’d like.”

After his start on Future Stars Friday, Mott looks forward to taking the Munnings colt into his 3-year-old season seeking more graded stakes on the green, including possibly the Transylvania Stakes during Keeneland’s spring meet and the Grade 1 American Turf Stakes on the 2027 Kentucky Derby undercard.

How's Al Today at Kentucky Downs (Eclipse Sportswire)

“Hopefully, he’s that type, and I hope this time next year we’re talking about some bigger races for him,” Mott said.

Bred by Willis Horton Racing, How’s Al Today is the first foal out of the Into Mischief mare Into Magic and was purchased by Chad Summers for owner Al Gold for $200,000 at the 2025 Keeneland September yearling sale. He is 3-for-4 with $681,584 in purse earnings.

How’s Al Today not only has the resume that puts him in the conversation for favoritism for the Juvenile Turf, but also the temperament for competing at the highest level.

“Really nice to be around. He enjoys getting out and training and being out of the stall, and we try to walk him several times in the day in between his training hours,” Mott said. “He likes being active and he thrives off the training. He’s on the bridle but controlled. I enjoy getting to see him train and being around him every day. He’s just a cool horse to be around.”