Gulfstream (VIDEO LINK): Mo Town Visits from Payson Park for Breeze With Eye on Florida Derby

By David Joseph —-

Mo Town Visits from Payson Park for Breeze With Eye on Florida Derby
Video Link to Work

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – On an unseasonably chilly morning in South Florida, Remsen (G2) winner Mo Town became acquainted for the first time with Gulfstream Park by working six furlongs for a possible start in the $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1) April 1

The Tony Dutrow-trained Mo Town shipped from Payson Park, located about 90 miles north of Gulfstream Park, on Thursday morning for the workout, which was timed in 1:13.24. With Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez at the controls, Mo Town, who breezed solo while breaking off from the five-eighths pole, carved out fractions of 36.23 and 1:00.09. While under urging from Velazquez, the son of Uncle Mo worked a furlong beyond the wire. His seven-furlong gallop-out time was 1:27.26.

Video of Mo Town work: Mo Town works at Gulfstream Park
This was the second work from Mo Town since he finished fifth as the favorite in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds Feb. 25 in his 3-year-old debut. Dutrow, who trains the colt for his stable, Team D, as well as partners, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor, said after the Risen Star that Velazquez told him Mo Town didn’t handle the racing surface at Fair Grounds.

“I had a lot of reasons for coming here today from Payson Park,” Dutrow said moments after the work, as he prepared to meet Mo Town back at the barn. “Number one was to get a very good workout in the horse other than at Payson Park. He’s been breezing all winter long at Payson Park, so I wanted to get him down here at a racetrack for a very good workout. Number two was that I wanted to see how he got along with Gulfstream Park because of the Florida Derby, after having the bad experience at the Fair Grounds . . . we do not believe he cared for the racetrack there. Those would be the two main reasons for the workout. But also I wanted to get him in the excitement-type atmosphere of a racetrack, other than the farm-type of atmosphere at Payson Park. I wanted to get him down here . . put him on the van, ship him down here. I just wanted to get all the race-day type of situations as we could create in the morning. Big picture is that I’m hopeful that Johnny liked the horse on the racetrack here because for so many reasons the Florida Derby makes sense.

“I liked what I saw, I thought the horse was very smooth over the racetrack,” Dutrow added. “He went very evenly the whole way, and seemed to gallop out excellent. I’m happy with today’s workout.”

Dutrow stopped short of declaring the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby, which produced the winner of last year’s Kentucky Derby, Nyquist, as Mo Town’s definitive next start. Also under consideration is the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2), one week later at Aqueduct, where Mo Town won the Remsen Stakes in his third career start.

“I will talk to Johnny and then I will talk to Coolmore and then a decision will be made,” Dutrow said of deciding between the Florida Derby and Wood Memorial. “He also has to draw somewhat well in the Florida Derby. If he didn’t draw well, we wouldn’t run here.”

Where ever he runs, it’s possible that Mo Town will a need rider. Velazquez, who has been aboard for his two career victories, as well as the Risen Star, is also the rider of the Todd Pletcher-trained Battalion Runner and Always Dreaming, horses who have been mentioned as under consideration to run in either the Florida Derby or Wood Memorial.

Dutrow said he is considering bringing Mo Town back to Gulfstream Park for his next work, which will be sometime next week.

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horseracing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.