HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With a marquee matchup between Mohaymen and Nyquist likely, trainer Todd Pletcher is considering taking arguably his top Kentucky Derby prospect, Zulu, elsewhere rather than meeting the two division leaders in the $1 million Florida Derby here April 2. Zulu, a son of Bernardini, captured his first two starts easily before suffering his only setback at the hands of Mohaymen when stretching out around two turns for the first time in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. Like Nyquist, Zulu was purchased out of the March 2015 Fasig-Tipton select sale at Gulfstream Park, which makes him eligible for a $1 million bonus if he wins the Florida Derby. “I would say at the moment, after talking to all the connections, that we’re of the mindset if both Nyquist and Mohaymen run here, we’ll probably opt to go somewhere else, although we’ll continue to see how he trains and keep our options open,” Pletcher said. Zulu has not breezed since the Fountain of Youth on Feb. 27. “I did not work him this weekend,” Pletcher said. “I didn’t think he needed another work just yet. I wanted to give him another week, although it still puts me in a position to still work him twice if he runs in the Florida Derby, three times if he goes in the Wood or Blue Grass, and four times if he runs in the Arkansas Derby.” Pletcher said that even if he skips the Florida Derby with Zulu, he’d like to run one of his other 3-year-old prospects in the rich event. He all but ruled out the race for Destin and Outlook, the one-two finishers Saturday in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, while mentioning Azar as a possibility. Azar began his career with six straight starts on turf before switching to the main track to capture a 1 1/16-mile allowance race here Feb. 28. “If both Nyquist and Mohaymen show up, there’s a good potential to be a shorter field in the Florida Derby, and I’d definitely like to run someone,” said Pletcher, who has won the race in each of the last two years with Constitution and Materiality. Zulu might not be the only locally based prospect to skip a big race on Florida Derby Day. Trainer John Servis said Monday he is leaning toward running his undefeated 3-year-old filly sensation Cathryn Sophia in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland rather than the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks as originally planned. Cathryn Sophia is perfect in four starts while never seriously challenged. She’s already won a pair of Grade 2 stakes at the meet, the seven-furlong Forward Gal by 5 1/4 lengths on Jan. 30 and the one-mile Davona Dale by seven lengths last month. “The biggest reason we’re looking at the Ashland rather than the Gulfstream Oaks is because it’s a Grade 1 rather than a Grade 2,” said Servis, who trains Cathryn Sophia for Cash is King LLC. “It’s the same distance and gives us an extra week, five as opposed to four, between her last start.” Cathryn Sophia had her first work since winning the Davona Dale on Sunday at Palm Meadows, an easy half-mile in 48.40 seconds. “Just a maintenance work with the exercise boy on her,” said Servis. “She’s just doing super right now. She’s done everything right to this point and seems to be progressing in her training, both mentally as well as physically.” Servis said Cathryn Sophia will do all her serious work for the Ashland at Palm Meadows before shipping to Keeneland. After that, if all goes well, she’ll stay in Kentucky to prepare for her major goal, the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, at Churchill Downs on May 6. Another locally based 3-year-old filly who will skip the Gulfstream Oaks is Tap to It, trainer Ralph Nicks said Sunday. Tap to It, who finished second in the Grade 1 Spinaway in her second career start and sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies to conclude her 2-year-old campaign, finished a disappointing fifth as the 4-5 favorite while launching her 2016 season in the Margate Handicap two weeks ago. Tap to It worked four furlongs in 48.06 here Sunday while equipped with blinkers for the first time. “It was the first time she’s ever had blinkers on, and I was very happy with the work,” said Nicks. “The Oaks is definitely not a possibility. We’ve got nothing picked out for her at the moment. She’ll tell us when she’s ready to run again.” Three stakes Saturday Saturday’s card will feature three stakes topped by the Grade 2 Inside Information at seven furlongs for older fillies and mares. A field of eight to 10 is expected, led by Stonetastic, who has set or prompted the pace in each of the last two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, and Bar of Gold, who closed out her 2016 campaign by finishing second in a pair of Grade 2 stakes for trainer John Kimmel. Other prospective starters include Flutterby, Mom’z Laugh, Quezon, and as many as three from the barn of trainer Marty Wolfson: Best Behavior, Kiss to Remember, and Miss Melinda. You Bought Her and Lavender Chrissie are listed as possible by the racing office. A pair of sprint stakes for 3-year-olds is also on the docket here Saturday, the Spectacular Bid and its filly counterpart, the Any Limit, with small fields likely for both events. ◗ A special tribute will be held between races Saturday for the late Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens who died at the age of 85 one year ago. The beloved Jerkens trained horses for 65 years and was best known for orchestrating some of the sport’s greatest upsets, including victories over racing legends such as Kelso, Buckpasser, and Secretariat, whom he defeated twice during his Triple Crown season in 1973 with Onion in the Whitney and Prove Out in the Woodward.