Gulfstream Park: Mott eyes big weekend

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – While trainer Bill Mott won’t be participating in the $1 million Florida Derby, he will still be well represented in many of the undercard stakes on Saturday’s program.

Mott plans to send out America in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Oaks; Amira’s Prince in the Grade 2, $200,000 Pan American; Tetradrachm in the Grade 3, $100,000 Appleton; and maybe Clearbrook in the Grade 3, $150,000 Orchid.

America, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, will be returning to the dirt after a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride on the turf in her 3-year-old debut.

“She’s a little bit of a grinder,” Mott said. “She keeps coming and coming. With the right pace scenario and over a track she can get a hold of, she might be all right.”

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]

Amira’s Prince and Tetradrachm ran third and fourth in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap on Feb. 9. For Amira’s Prince, that was his first start in 11 months.

“His race was good; he was a little fresh,” Mott said.

By running in the Appleton, Tetradrachm will be dropping back to a mile, a distance Mott believes “might prove to be his best.”

Clearbrook, a daughter of Smart Strike, won a first-level optional-claiming race at 1 7/16 miles here on Feb. 14, which makes the 1 1/2 miles of the Orchid a natural progression.