Gulfstream Park: Amira's Prince completes big day for Mott, Velazquez in Mac Diarmida

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott capped off another big day at Gulfstream Park, completing a sweep of Saturday’s two stakes and registering his third win overall after Amira’s Prince rallied to 3 3/4-length victory over Teaks North in the $150,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes.

Earlier in the day, Mott sent out Starformer to an easy win in the Grade 3 The Very One Stakes and Emollient to a game allowance victory in her 3-year-old debut. John Velazquez, who guided Amira’s Prince to his first stakes win, also won three races on the card.

Amira’s Prince broke a step slow but recovered quickly to race within easy striking distance of the pacesetting Teaks North, drew even with the leader midway around the final bend then readily edged away once settling into the stretch. Teaks North, a three-time Grade 1 winner, was easily second best, finishing 2 3/4 lengths clear of Twilight Eclipse.

Amira’s Prince is a 4-year-old son of Teofilio owned by the partnership of the Wachtel Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. He began his career in Europe but is now perfect in three starts since joining Mott’s barn late last summer.

Amira’s Prince returned $5.40 after negotiating a mile and three furlongs in 2:17.14 over a good course.

“He’s been doing very well for us. It seems like he keeps improving,” said Mott. “We had no idea how good he would be. They sent him over for the Jamaica last fall but we didn’t run him. He looked like he needed more time so we brought him down here and freshened him up.”

Mott said the Grade 2 Pan American on March 23 could be a possibility for Amira’s Prince’s next start.

“Whether it would be too much to run him here one more time, I don’t know,” said Mott. “If he’s doing extremely well, maybe, but you’ve got to be careful this early in the year. There are a lot of things coming up later on."