Salutos Amigos Says 'Adios' to Fall Highweight Rivals

 

Favored Salutos Amigos relished the sloppy going at Aqueduct Racetrack on Thursday, rallying from far back to capture the 101st running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Fall Highweight Handicap, the Thanksgiving Day feature at the Big A.

 

Lugging high weight of 133 pounds, including jockey Cornelio Velasquez, Salutos Amigos was content to linger towards the back of the pack as Weekend Hideaway and La Verdad led through an opening quarter-mile in 22.20 seconds, with the half going in 46.25. Angled to the outside with a furlong to go, the 4-year-old Salute the Sarge gelding kicked into high gear and swept to the lead, hitting the wire in 1:10.78 for the six furlongs.

 

"He likes to be covered up and behind horses," said Velasquez. "When I put him in the clear, he was the best horse. I wanted to follow [Bakken], but he stopped at the quarter-pole. I put him in the clear at the eighth pole, and I had a lot of horse."

 

The victory was the fifth in 13 starts this year for Salutos Amigos, who is owned in partnership by Southern Equine Stables and trainer David Jacobson. Overall, he is 6-2-4 from 24 career starts, and has now earned $627,406.

 

"I wasn't concerned about the wet track because he was 3-for-3 in the mud going into this," said Jacobson. "I wanted it to keep raining all day - I was doing a rain dance. Cornelio did an amazing job, as usual."

 

Sent off at 3-1, Salutos Amigos returned $6 for a $2 win bet as he notched his second graded stakes of the year, having taken the Grade 3 Bold Ruler on October 25. Following that, he was seventh in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 1.

 

"We'll take a look at the Gravesend [December 26] next, but it's up to the horse to let us know," said Jacobson. "He might want to run back on seven days rest again, or not. We'll see."

 

Mewannarose was second,1 ¾ lengths back, with Captain Serious along for third. Crafty Dreamer, Bakken, Weekend Hideaway and La Verdad completed the order of finish.

 

Bama Bound, Tightend Touchdown, Strapping Groom, and River Rocks were scratched.

 

Source: NYRA Communications