Pirate's Punch, Ny Traffic to Battle in Salvator Mile

Pirate's Punch  and Ny Traffic  took turns with impressive performances a year ago at Monmouth Park. Now they'll match their considerable talents in the same race at the track June 12.

Pirate's Punch, idle since the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 7, and Ny Traffic, who made his return to racing on May 2, top a field of 10 for the $150,000 Salvator Mile Stakes (G3), the headliner on Monmouth's Saturday card.

When last seen at Monmouth, Pirate's Punch won the 2020 edition of the Salvator Mile—a race after being disqualified from a victory in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3). Ny Traffic was second in last year's TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1), beaten a nose by eventual 2020 Horse of the Year Authentic  .

A 5-year-old gelded son of Shanghai Bobby , Pirate's Punch needed surgery to remove a chip from one of his knees shortly after the Breeders' Cup, in which he finished 12th. Trainer Grant Forster is eager to get Gulliver Racing, Craig Drager, and Dan Legan's runner started on his 2021 campaign.

"After his surgery we took our time with him and did the proper rehab. Hopefully, we have a foundation in him," said Forster. "He's doing fantastic. He seems like he's a bigger, stronger horse this year.

"Since we put him back in training he hasn't missed a day of training, hasn't missed a work, hasn't missed a gallop. He has been ultra-consistent, and we think we have him ready to run and ready to get back in the game and get going." 

Pirate's Punch was bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings out of the Malibu Moon mare Catch the Moon , making him a half brother to 2017 Haskell winner Girvin   and this year's Preakness Stakes (G1) runner-up Midnight Bourbon .

The 4-year-old Ny Traffic , in his first race since finishing ninth in the 2020 Preakness Stakes run Oct. 3, impressed in his 2021 debut. The Cross Traffic colt trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. blazed to a 6 3/4-length victory in an allowance optional claimer May 2 at Belmont Park.

"He came back in a big way. He won emphatically," said Joseph. "We were hoping he would win but we never envisioned he would run like that in his first race back after seven months off.

"It's a long year and he has a lot in front of him. We're hoping this race can be a building block for the year."

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman, and Team Hanley's Ny Traffic strung together four graded placings last season, but has yet to win a stakes race.

"He came close (in last year's) Haskell," said Joseph. "He definitely has a graded stakes win in him. Hopefully, it's this year—and maybe this weekend."

Rounding out the Salvator Mile field are Bal Harbour , Basin , Croatian , Galerio , Green Light Go , Informative , War Stopper , and West Will Power .

Entries: Salvator Mile S. (G3)

Monmouth Park, Saturday, June 12, 2021, Race 10

• Grade III
• 1m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:28 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Galerio (MD)	Pablo Morales	118	Dale Bennett	6/1
2	2West Will Power (KY)	Nik Juarez	118	Kelly J. Breen	6/1
3	3Bal Harbour (KY)	Mychel J. Sanchez	118	Gregory D. Sacco	6/1
4	4Green Light Go (KY)	Dylan Davis	118	Jerry Hollendorfer	8/1
5	5Informative (KY)	Jose C. Ferrer	118	Uriah St. Lewis	30/1
6	6Croatian (KY)	Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr.	118	Jerry Hollendorfer	15/1
7	7Ny Traffic (NY)	Paco Lopez	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	9/5
8	8Basin (KY)	Albin Jimenez	122	Todd A. Pletcher	8/1
9	9War Stopper (KY)	Ruben Silvera	118	Todd A. Pletcher	12/1
10	10Pirate's Punch (KY)	Robby Albarado	118	Grant T. Forster	5/1