Salute the Stars Nabs Kingsbarns in Pegasus
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Photo: Joe Labozzetta/EQUI-PHOTO
Salute the Stars (outside) rallies past Kingsbarns by a neck in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park
Brad Cox has another one. The two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer had 13 different foals of 2020 that earned points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, five of which made it to this year's Triple Crown races. Now Cox has a new contender for the summer's top 3-year-old stakes in Salute the Stars , who won the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes June 17 at Monmouth Park in his stakes debut, catching heavy favorite Kingsbarns in the final strides.
The 1 1/16-mile Pegasus serves as the local prep for the $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1), set for July 22 on the Jersey Shore.
Gary and Mary West's homebred Salute the Stars made his first two starts on turf last summer, winning the second, which was enough reason to keep him on turf at age 3. After moving to Cox's barn he showed ability working on dirt over the winter at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Given his last win, though, Salute the Stars was pointed for a turf allowance at Churchill Downs last month for his comeback but rain forced it onto the main track. The resulting game victory over a fast dirt track put the Candy Ride colt on a new path that could lead to the Haskell or any number of lucrative spots for quality 3-year-olds.
In the Pegasus, jockey Joel Rosario was expected to have Salute the Stars pressing the pace but they were bumped and forced to check at the start, giving up several lengths to early leader Subrogate , who set solid fractions of :23.71, :47.60, and 1:11.87. The rough beginning did not sit well with Salute the Stars, who was rank trying to catch up around the first turn. Rosario got him to settle off the rail down the backside but they were three lengths behind after a half-mile.
Meanwhile, Kingsbarns was getting the perfect trip in his effort to rebound from a Kentucky Derby (G1) flop and a bout of colic that forced him to miss the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1). The Louisiana Derby (G2) winner sat just off Subrogate, dueled with the stubborn leader into the stretch, and inched ahead with a furlong to run. Just as he looked like a winner here came Salute the Stars looking like a different horse from the one that did not want to be there the first half of the race.
"When he was going into the first turn he was a little tough for Joel and I thought, 'Gosh, I don't know if he's going to save anything for the stretch,'" said assistant trainer Trace Messina. "But Joel did a great job of getting him to relax, settle, and then he came with his run late."
Salute the Stars got up by a neck, stopping the timer in 1:43.87. Kingsbarns was a clear second, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of show finisher Howgreatisnate in a field of six after two scratches (Alternate Reality and Moreau ). The winner paid $7.80 and increased his earnings to $210,960 from three wins and a second in four starts.
Salute the Stars is out of the Malibu Moon mare Star Sighting , a full sister to four-time grade 2 winner Farrell and half to multiple grade 1 winner Carpe Diem . Of Star Sighting's seven foals, two have raced and both have won.