Salutos Amigos Pursues Four-Bagger in Tom Fool
In pursuit of his fourth consecutive victory, Salutos Amigos will look to continue his streak facing a field of six others in the 40th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap for 4-year-olds and up on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The
Tom Fool, contested at six furlongs, is part of a 10-race card that
also features the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham and $100,000 Cat Cay.
Owned
by trainer David Jacobson in partnership with Southern Equine Stable,
Salutos Amigos is the 3-5 morning-line favorite. Following a
seventh-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 1, the
5-year-old gelding took the Grade 3 Fall Highweight on November 27 and
went on to display an affinity for the inner track with back to back
victories in the Gravesend, and most recently, the Grade 3 Toboggan by 1
¾ lengths, picking up a Beyer Speed Figure of 108 for his performance.
"He's
doing well," said Jacobson. "After the Breeders' Cup I thought he would
really take to the Aqueduct inner track and he's proven that. Irad
[Ortiz, Jr.] had to go to Florida but I have no concerns with Cornelio
[Velasquez] getting the mount."
Salutos Amigos, who has five wins from six starts at the Big A, will depart from post 5.
Dads
Caps will look to turn the tables after finishing second to Salutos
Amigos in the Toboggan. Owned by Vincent Scuderi, Dads Caps raced with
blinkers for the first time in his last start, racing on the lead most
of the way until being outkicked in the stretch.
Jose Ortiz will be in the irons for Dads Caps, 3-1 on the morning line from post 3.
Shadwell
Stable and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will enter Maleeh. A son of Indian
Charlie, Maleeh will be making his second graded stakes start since a
sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Bay Shore last April. Following that
race, Maleeh has improved with the addition of Lasix, showing a series
of good efforts in optional claiming races, but has yet to hit the wire
first.
"It's
a tough race, but we hope that he keeps improving," said McLaughlin.
"It would be great if we could add a graded stakes win to his resume,
and he has been gradually improving since the addition of blinkers so we
hope he continues to do so."
Maleeh will leave from post 7 with Junior Alvarado aboard at 5-1 on the morning line.
The
John Terranova-trained West Hills Giant looks to get back on track
cutting back a panel for the Tom Fool following a disappointing ninth
place finish in the General George Handicap at Laurel Park on February
16. The son of Frost Giant has one win and a third-place finish in two
starts at the distance and will be ridden by Manuel Franco from the
rail.
Shipping
in from Laurel Park for trainer Phil Schoenthal are 4-year-olds Sonny
Inspired and Elevated. Sonny Inspired enters following an optional
claiming victory on February 14, in which Elevated finished third.
Rounding out the field is Green Gratto for trainer David Smith and owners Gaston Grant and Anthony and Basil Greene.
Source: NYRA Communications