Gulfstream Park: Mott makes sly move putting Byrama in Ten Palms

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Bill Mott didn’t make it into the Hall of Fame without knowing how to read a condition book.

Mott found the perfect spot for one of the newest additions to his barn, Byrama, at Gulfstream Park. He entered his Grade 1 winner for Sunday’s $75,000 Ten Palms Stakes, a race restricted to fillies and mares who have never won a graded stakes on turf.

Byrama was entered in the Keeneland November breeding stock sale but did not reach her reserve. She was subsequently sold privately to St Elias Stable and sent to Mott for her 2014 campaign.

An English-bred daughter of Byron, Byrama rallied to a 3 1/2-length victory late last spring in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap, a race decided over the synthetic Cushion Track at Hollywood Park. She also finished second in the Grade 1 Madison last year at Keeneland.

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Byrama has not started on grass since finishing third last February in Santa Anita’s Grade 2 Buena Vista. Overall, she has won four times and earned more than $250,000 on turf.

“She’s doing well. She’s training well. She’s a pretty active little mare,” Mott said. “Her works have been very good. She’s impressed me with what she’s done in the morning. We’re not going to use the ‘need a race’ excuse.”

Mott said although Byrama will run on the grass here Sunday, she will likely be pointed to loftier goals over the Polytrack at Keeneland during the spring.

John Velazquez will be aboard Byrama for the first time. She will carry high weight of 123 pounds under the allowance conditions of the one- mile Ten Palms.

The conditions of the Ten Palms also suit the multiple graded stakes-placed Toasting, who will make her career debut on grass in the overnight stakes. Toasting is coming off a third- place finish as the 4-5 favorite in the Sunshine Millions Distaff after closing her 2013 campaign by falling just a head short of upsetting the Grade 3 Comely at Aqueduct.

Trainer Christophe Clement will counter his Payson Park neighbor Mott with Long Face, a graded stakes-placed mare who missed by a neck under high-level optional-claiming conditions here Jan. 15. Long Face finished second in the Grade 3 Wilshire Handicap on the grass last spring at Hollywood Park.

The remainder of the Ten Palms lineup consists of She’s Spooky and Ready Signal, who finished 1-2 under allowance conditions on the turf here last month; Wholelottashakin, who missed by a neck when second in the Grade 3 Endeavour at Tampa on Jan. 25; Allaura, who defeated Long Face in their previous meeting; the multiple turf stakes winner Street Gem, Celestial Kitten, and Angel’s South.

– additional reporting by Jay Privman