Mohaymen looks strong in Florida Derby drill

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Not only are the two top seeds for the Kentucky Derby, Mohaymen and Nyquist, on course to collide in the $1 million Florida Derby, they also are on similar training schedules, with each turning in his penultimate work Friday for the much-anticipated battle here April 2.

Working at the Palm Meadows training center a couple of hours before Nyquist hit the track at Santa Anita, Mohaymen completed five furlongs in 1:01, posting splits of 25.20 seconds for the first quarter and 36.40 for three furlongs before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 with regular exercise rider Miguel Jaime aboard. The breeze was the second for Mohaymen since his impressive victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here on Feb. 27.

“He worked well, he’s doing great, he’s fit, and we’re happy,” said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “He’s got a great mind, and that’s all part of it. He’s continued to do everything right. We just have to keep him happy. We’re not looking for any changes.

“Obviously, Nyquist will be tough, and it’s a big race, a Grade 1. But May 7 is the ultimate goal. If we get pushed, we get pushed. We hope it’s not gut-wrenching for both horses, but at least we will have five weeks to recover.”

McLaughlin departs for Dubai on Sunday and will not be on hand for Mohaymen’s final Florida Derby work, scheduled for next Friday. McLaughlin runs several horses on the World Cup program at Meydan on March 26, including Frosted in the $10 million World Cup.

At Santa Anita, clockers had Nyquist going five furlongs in 1:01.40. They had Nyquist’s final quarter-mile in 23.80 seconds, and trainer Doug O’Neill had his final furlong in 11.60 seconds.

It’s an election year, and the imposing presence of the two undefeated division leaders has the racing office doing some campaigning of its own, trying to entice other trainers to enter in the Florida Derby. The only other confirmed starter is Fellowship, who finished a distant third behind Mohaymen in both the Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth. Trainer Todd Pletcher is likely to run one of his top 3-year-olds in the race, although he’s leaning against starting Fountain of Youth runner-up Zulu if both Mohaymen and Nyquist show up.

Zulu worked an easy four furlongs in 50.98 on Friday at the Palm Beach Downs training center, his first work since the Fountain of Youth.

“Just an easy work for the first one back,” said Pletcher. “He was nice and relaxed, galloped out well. I was very happy with him.”

The Florida Derby offers 170 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby on a 100-40-20-10 basis.