Mott and Clement trainees square off in turf sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – While the majority of the New York-based horses stabled in south Florida for the winter are already heading home, trainers Christophe Clement and Bill Mott will keep large contingents behind for the next month. Both are hoping to take advantage of the grass races at Gulfstream Park during that period, races like Thursday’s $50,000 optional-claiming feature at five furlongs.

Clement will send out the graded-stakes-placed Zindaya in the main event. Mott counters with his multiple stakes-placed Lemon Point. They’ll face five others: Wellingtons Appeal, It’s Saturday Nite, Crysta’s Court, Red Minx, and Pedal Princess.

Both Zindaya and Lemon Point make their 2015 debuts Thursday. Zindaya has not started since finishing third after setting the pace through midstretch in the Grade 3 Autumn Miss going a mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 25. Zindaya had won turf sprints at Saratoga and Belmont in her two previous outings.

Lemon Point has been idle since running into the inside hedge and losing her rider while contesting the pace a sixteenth of a mile into the Cellars Shiraz Stakes at Gulfstream Park West on Oct. 18. That outing was the first for Lemon Point since finishing third in Belmont Park’s Wait a While Stakes five months earlier. Lemon Point has been training steadily for her return over the Gulfstream main track since mid-February.

Wellingtons Appeal already won this same condition here in January when leading throughout to defeat a field that also included It’s Saturday Nite, who checked home third after chasing the winner much of the way.

Pedal Princess steps up off a come-from-behind victory against entry-level optional claimers while making her 2015 and local debut Jan. 31.

KEY CONTENDERS

Zindaya (Last 3 Beyers: 86-86-83)

◗ She shows a steady progression of works over the main track at Payson in preparation for her return, including three bullets during a four week period between Feb. 25 and March 22.

◗ Over the last five years, Clement has won with 21 percent of his starters returning from layoffs of from 60 to 180 days, per DRF Formulator.

Lemon Point (Last 3 Beyers: 79-79-80)

◗ Reunites with Mott, for whom she made her first seven starts before being transferred to Bill White prior to her unlucky journey in the Cellars Shiraz.

◗ She shortens up to five furlongs on grass for the first time. Mott owns a 15 percent success rate with horses going from routes to sprints, with a $1.17 return on investment, over the past five years, according to Formulator.

Wellingtons Appeal (Last 3 Beyers: 78-81-87)

◗ He dueled for the lead with the even-money Aquinnah in his last start, and both paid the price, finishing third and fourth. Figures to try to steal this one on the front end after breaking from the rail.

Pedal Princess (Last 3 Beyers: 83-18-65)

◗ Benefitted from a hot pace scenario in his last and had the effort flattered after the third- and seventh-place finishers, Sweet Tooth Sweety and Little Tami, came right back to win.