Preferential Kicks Off Campaign for Mott

Juddmonte Farms' Preferential will kick off her 2014 campaign in the $100,000 The Very One Stakes (G3) on Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park.             

Bred in Great Britain, the daughter of Dansili was a stakes winner at three in France for trainer Criquette Head-Maarek before joining the Bill Mott string in the U.S. last year. She made steady progress over the course of 2013 and defeated Left a Message in what would be her seasonal finale, the Dowager Stakes over 12 furlongs at Keeneland on October 20. Now stabled at Gulfstream, Preferential will face off with Left a Message once more over 11 panels in the The Very One.            

"She didn't really start to come around until later in the year," Mott said. "She won over a similar distance last fall at Keeneland, so I think she'll like it. She's doing great."            

The four-month hiatus was not part of Mott's original plan for Preferential, who had been slated to contest the La Prevoyante (G3) at Calder in late December. That 1 1/2-mile event was canceled at the last minute.            

"We had to bypass the race at Calder when Churchill Downs decided they didn't want to run the race, so it's been a long wait," Mott explained.            

Preferential, the 5-2 favorite on the morning line, will have the services of jockey Julien Leparoux when she breaks from post five in the The Very One.