Rookie Salsa Delivers Upset in Kentucky Juvenile

Seeing Rookie Salsa display an understanding of racing beyond his years when he arrived at Jeremiah O'Dwyer's barn ahead of his winning career debut, the Laurel Park-based trainer wasted no time nominating the son of Two Step Salsa  to the $125,000 Kentucky Juvenile Stakes.

That decision paid off May 1 at Churchill Downs, where Rookie Salsa unleashed a powerful stretch rally to win the early season stakes for 2-year-olds. Posting a 1 1/2-length victory at odds of 27-1, Rookie Salsa completed the five-furlong test in :59.32 on a fast track.

"He's a horse who just does what you ask him," O'Dwyer said. "He'll wind up when you need him to and wind down when you need him to."

In the featured race on Kentucky Derby Week Wednesday, Designated Hitters Racing's Rookie Salsa rated in fourth early as Alec and Arthur dueled with Twirling Owen through a quarter-mile in :22.05 and a half-mile in :45.90. Hat Creek Racing's Alec and Arthur put away Twirling Owen in the turn and enjoyed a two-length lead in midstretch, but Charles Brown's Two Dot launched a bid along the rail and Rookie Salsa rallied toward the center of the track under jockey Angel Suarez.

At the wire, Suarez raised a fist in the air to celebrate the first stakes win of his career. The race marked the second stakes win for O'Dwyer, who won this year's Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots with Needs Supervision. Last year, Needs Supervision closed her juvenile campaign with an allowance win in November at Churchill for O'Dwyer, who noted that with the cost of shipping horses, he tries to limit that option to races where he thinks he has a real chance. 

O'Dwyer credited Mason Springs Training Center in Aiken, S.C., with sending him a race-ready colt. Rookie Salsa scored a three-quarter-length victory in his career debut April 19 at Laurel, going 4 1/2 furlongs in :52.76.

Two Dot, who twice hit the rail during Wednesday's race, edged Alec and Arthur for second by a head. The winner returned $56.80, $20.80, and $9 across the board. Two Dot, also sent off at 27-1, paid $16 to place and $10.60 to show. The exacta returned $732.80 on a $2 wager. Alec and Arthur returned $4.20 to show.

Marva, the 2-1 favorite off a debut win at Gulfstream Park for trainer Wesley Ward, was steadied in the turn and finished last in the field of eight.

Alison Wilaby landed Rookie Salsa for $15,000 at The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall yearling sale, where the colt was consigned by Considine Farm. Bred in Florida by Mikhail Yanakov Olympia Star, Rookie Salsa is out of the stakes-winning Pico Central mare Kalambaka Queen, who has produced two winners from as many starters.