Overcoming trouble in the early going, Gary and Mary West's homebred Salute the Stars rallied stoutly through the lane and overhauled favorite Kingsbarns in the closing strides to win the $150,000 Pegasus, a prep for the $1-million Haskell (G1), Saturday at Monmouth Park.
Ridden by Joel Rosario for trainer Brad Cox, Salute the Stars was last of six from the gate after getting squeezed at the start and was rank around the clubhouse turn and into the backstretch. He moved into a stalking position in fourth off the rail once settled down on the backstretch and bided his time as Kingsbarns and pacesetter Subrogate battled around the turn and into early stretch. Kingsbarns shook off Subrogate in midstretch an appeared en route to victory, but Salute the Stars was ready to run and wore him down with ground-devouring strides, earning his first stakes win by a neck.
Salute the Stars paid $7.80 after covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.87.
Kingsbarns held for second and finished third Howgreatisnate was third, 2 1/4 back.
A Candy Ride colt, Salute the Stars came into the Pegasus off an allowance score, carded for the turf but shifted to the main track, May 14 in his season debut at Churchill Downs. He closed his juvenile campaign with a maiden-breaking victory on turf Aug. 27 at Ellis Park in his second career start.
Bred in Kentucky, Salute the Stars was produced by the Malibu Moon mare Star Sighting.
Pegasus Quotes
WINNING TRAINER – Trace Messina (assistant to Brad Cox): “We liked him a lot first time out. We were going back and forth, dirt or turf, and we said let's just run him on the grass. And then the race came off. It gave us the option to see what he was like on the dirt. Not against true dirt horses, but it was competitive field that day.
“I was not feeling good on the backside. He was too aggressive going into the first turn. On the backside, Joel did a good job getting him to relax. Even at the three-eighths pole I thought, 'He's not going anywhere.' But when he straightened out he got going. We'll see (on the Haskell). Obviously that's an option. We have a lot of 3-year-olds in this division. But that's a possibility for sure.”
WINNING JOCKEY – Joe Rosario: “My first time riding him. It seemed seemed like he broke well. Maybe not exactly the way we wanted since we wanted him a little closer, but he kind of moved himself a little forward and I played with him a little bit until he settled down. After that, it looked like turning for home he kind of backed up a little bit. But give credit to my horse, he was able to put it all together again and grind late with that long stride he has. He straightened out and we got the job done. I thought we might not catch him. I looked like (Kingsbarns) was getting away.”
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