Adirondack King takes on nine others in Salvator Mile

Adirondack King returns to graded stakes action as he takes on nine others in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Salvator Mile over the Monmouth main track.

The 8-year-old gelding by Lawyer Ron returns to the races off a nearly two-month break after a fifth place finish in an optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park on April 23.

“He had the inside post that day in the slop and it really just didn’t go his way,” said trainer John Servis. “He’s been doing good after we gave him a bit of a breather. He worked really well last time and at his age, when he runs like that in the morning, he usually runs a big race.”

Adirondack King has worked four times in preparation for Saturday including a bullet in his latest, going four furlongs in :47, the fastest of the 33 that went the distance on June 9.

Owned by MarchFore Thoroughbreds, Adirondack King was last seen at Monmouth Park in last year’s Grade 2 Monmouth Cup on the Haskell Day undercard. He finished fourth that day behind Grade 1 winner Bradester.

From the Brocco mare Jostle, Adirondack King got to the winner’s circle most recently in last year’s Challenger Stakes, coming from off the pace to score a half-length victory at Tampa Bay Downs.

“There seems to be a bit of speed in the race,” said Servis. “We just want him to break well and just settle off some of the speed early.”

Todd Pletcher brings a pair of graded stakes winners into the Salvator Mile to try and add to their resumes. Donegal Moon took last year’s Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth while Far From Over makes his five-year-old debut after winning the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct in 2015 over fellow Salvator Mile entrant El Kabeir.

The Salvator Mile will run as race 10 on Saturday’s 11-race card. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. with first post at 12:50 p.m.