Mott, Clement have two each for featured turf sprint

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Gold Fever Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters failed to draw enough entries to be carded, so Sunday’s feature at Belmont Park is a third-level allowance/optional $80,000 claiming race scheduled for seven furlongs on turf.

But with heavy rain scheduled for Saturday into Sunday morning, it is unclear if either of the two Belmont turf courses will be suitable for use on a card that has five of eight races scheduled for grass.

If the feature stays on turf, it will scratch down to five horses since three of the eight entrants were entered for the main track only. On turf, trainer Bill Mott has two – Insta Erma and Quality Rocks – while Christophe Clement counters with the duo of Dream Prospect and Peru. Trainer Graham Motion entered Catcha Rising Star, who bolted on the turf in the Dahlia Stakes in her last start.

Insta Erma returns to a course over which she has won twice, including a second-level allowance last fall going seven furlongs. That day, she beat Spectacular Me, who came back to win her next two starts.

Insta Erma ended her 3-year-old campaign with three losses in listed-stakes company.

In her 4-year-old debut, Insta Erma finished third in a similar spot as this at Keeneland. She was beaten three-quarters of a length by Conquest Babayaga, who was winning her third consecutive race. After receiving a ground-saving trip, Insta Erma rallied nine wide in the stretch while Conquest Babayaga rallied along the inside.

Mott’s other entrant, Quality Rocks, won the Florida Oaks in 2015 but missed her entire 4-year-old season in 2016. She is entered back just two weeks after finishing fifth in the License Fee Stakes here on April 30.

Clement has the uncoupled entry of Dream Prospect and Peru. Dream Prospect has won on turf, a fast main track, and in the slop. She hasn’t started since finishing second to Gypsy Eyes in the Cellars Shiraz Stakes at Gulfstream Park West last November.

Clement said he had Dream Prospect ready to run in Florida this winter but could not find the proper race.

“She can handle softer turf,” Clement said. “She’s a very honest, game type of filly. She worked in front of me at Saratoga the other day, and she went well.”

Peru is an English-bred who was recommended to Clement by his son, Miguel, who was working for the filly’s trainer, Hugo Palmer, last year. Peru won an allowance at Gulfstream on Jan. 26 before finishing fifth in a tougher spot Feb. 24.

“She had two starts, she ran well both times, and I think she’ll handle softer turf,” Clement said.

If the race comes off the turf, it likely will boil down to Pawleys Express, a daughter of Afleet Express who is coming off a sharp 4 1/4-length allowance win at Keeneland for Ralph Nicks, and Malibu Princess, a front-running allowance winner at Aqueduct last out for George Weaver.