Mo Town works with eye on Florida Derby or Wood Memorial

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It’s a 90-minute drive – on a good day – from Payson Park to Gulfstream Park. That’s a long road to travel for less than 74 seconds of work, but well worth the trip for trainer Tony Dutrow and his Kentucky Derby prospect Mo Town, who came down the turnpike to breeze here Thursday in preparation for a possible start here April 1 in the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby.

With jockey John Velazquez aboard, Mo Town broke off at the five-eighths pole shortly after the second renovation break and worked six furlongs in 1:13.24. Mo Town completed his final three-eighths from the top of the stretch to the mile pole on the clubhouse turn in 37.01 seconds, with Velazquez asking him to the wire and to continue out strongly into the bend.

Mo Town galloped out seven-eighths in 1:27.26 over a track that was on the quick side, with a strong northern wind at his back down the stretch.

Mo Town has wintered with Dutrow at Payson Park but traveled to Fair Grounds to finish fifth as the 3-2 favorite in the Grade 2 Risen Star on Feb. 25. The outing was his first since his impressive 2 1/2-length triumph in the Grade 2 Remsen last fall.

“He certainly looked like he went well,” Dutrow said of Thursday’s work. “Johnny said he handled the track very well, did not get tired, pulled up great. I have a lot of reasons to be happy right now.”

Dutrow said he plans to enter Mo Town in the Florida Derby, see what post position he draws, and then decide whether to run him here or in the Wood Memorial a week later. Mo Town can be entered for free in the Florida Derby because he’s a graded stakes winner.

Dutrow chalked up Mo Town’s poor effort in the Risen Star to his inability to handle the racetrack. On Thursday, as Mo Town stood for his bath after the workout, Dutrow pointed out several marks on the horse’s legs where he’d hit himself during the race.

“He never hit himself at Aqueduct, Saratoga, or Belmont,” said Dutrow. “Johnny said he was a completely different horse over the surface at the Fair Grounds. I’m clearly not knocking the Fair Grounds surface. I love that racetrack; I think it’s one of the best in the country. But my horse didn’t care for it. So, here he has another chance, and he has everything to prove, but we’re happy.”