Tony Dutrow, fresh from hiatus, hopes horses are, too

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Tony Dutrow’s winter hiatus is over.

From December through March, Dutrow ran only three horses, winning one race and finishing in the money with the other two. Dutrow, who was based at the Payson Park training center in Indiantown, Fla. all winter, said this was by design.

“I thought we’d have our horses fresh and well rested for April through October,” said Dutrow, who maintains an 18-horse stable that ultimately will be based at Belmont Park.

This weekend, Dutrow has brought back several of his top runners from a year ago, including Mo Town, who runs in Sunday’s $100,000 Danger’s Hour at Aqueduct, and Big Handsome, who was to run in Saturday’s Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland.

At this time last year, Dutrow was hoping to see Mo Town qualify for the Kentucky Derby. But Mo Town finished seventh in the Wood Memorial. Following a freshening and two disappointing allowance efforts on dirt, Mo Town was switched to the turf. On Oct. 12, he won a second-level allowance at Belmont and six weeks later captured the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.

Dutrow has big plans for Mo Town in 2018. He is hoping to use Sunday’s Danger’s Hour, at a mile, as a prep for the Grade 1, $750,000 Man o’ War at 1 3/8 miles at Belmont Park on May 12.

“He’s well rested and a mile is not going to hurt him and it gets him going,” Dutrow said Friday from Keeneland. “I believe we’ll have a nice, fresh horse for the big stuff upcoming.

“Mo Town has it to prove, I’m completely aware of that, and I want to see it, but he could be a special horse.”

Get Jets, who won a pair of New York-bred stakes last year, is gearing up for his return in the Elusive Quality Stakes at Belmont on April 28. That, Dutrow said, would be a stepping-stone to the Kingston on May 28.

Dutrow said his emphasis is on quality over quantity and is hoping Mo Town, Get Jets, and Big Handsome can keep things going until his 2-year-olds come in and begin to show themselves.

“I’ve had my 130, 140 horses for years,” Dutrow said. “I want to spend my time with horses of quality. I made that transformation two years ago. With the help of West Point, Woodford, and Team D, I’m able to be where I want to be.”