Ami's Flatter works, eyes Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Josie Carroll did not confirm Ami’s Flatter as a definite starter in Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby, but she certainly was leaning in that direction after the Tampa Bay Derby runner-up breezed a half-mile in 49 seconds at Palm Meadows on Monday.

“I was pretty happy with the work, and if he looks good [Tuesday], we’ll probably go there,” Carroll said, referring to the Grade 1 Florida Derby, which was to be drawn late Tuesday afternoon in the walking ring at Gulfstream Park.

Ami’s Flatter has started four times. He finished second here in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes on Jan. 3 before going to Tampa to finish fourth in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes and second behind the favored Carpe Diem in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby.

“We were originally thinking about the Blue Grass, but he bounced out of the Tampa Bay Derby really well,” said Carroll, who trains the son of Flatter for owner Ivan Dalos. “He’s really starting to mature. He got a little more focused with the blinkers on in the Tampa Derby. He’s paying a little more attention now and just seems to be peaking at the right time. He also ran a pretty good number over this track. He seemed to like it here, and that’s very much a factor in our decision since Keeneland would be an unknown for him.”

Ami’s Flatter was not the only prospective Florida Derby starter to work Monday. At Gulfstream, My Point Exactly worked five furlongs in 1:03.84 immediately after the renovation break with jockey Juan Leyva aboard. My Point Exactly open-galloped from the wire to the five-furlong pole prior to breaking off and posting splits of 24.80 and 37.59 seconds, tiring some to the wire before galloping out six furlongs in 1:17.97.

My Point Exactly has not started since winning a one-mile turf stakes at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 6.

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Speechify sharp in work

Speechify couldn’t have looked sharper while working five furlongs in 1:00.40 here Sunday. But despite the impressive drill, trainer Ralph Nicks has no intention of running his Grade 3 winner in Saturday’s Sir Shackleton Stakes.

“I didn’t even nominate him to the race because I don’t want to run him seven furlongs,” said Nicks. “Right now, I’m either looking at the Count Fleet at Oaklawn or the Shakertown at Keeneland, which is 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.”

Speechify, the winner of the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector in his 3-year-old finale, finished third after stumbling at the start while launching his 2015 campaign in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint going 6 1/2 furlongs Feb. 21.