Full Salute comes through as Hall of Fame favorite

Full Salute, the beaten favorite in his first two stakes appearances, got the job done Saturday as the 6-5 choice in the $150,000 Hall of Fame Stakes for 2-year-olds at Parx Racing.

Cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs after a runner-up finish in the one-mile Sapling at his home base of Monmouth Park, Full Salute ($4.60) sat a length off pacesetter Formal Summation through fractions of 22.40 and 45.53 seconds. Paco Lopez sent Full Salute to the front at the top of the stretch, the colt opened up a two-length advantage at the eighth pole, and was taken in hand late to score by a measured length after completing the distance in 1:17.43.

A son of Speightstown trained by Ed Plesa for owner Morris Bailey, Full Salute is now 2 for 5 lifetime with earnings of $149,120.

Bird of Trey, the 3-2 second choice in a field reduced to four by a pair of scratches, finished second, 2 1/2 lengths clear of Discreet Lover. Formal Summation, winner of the Laurel Futurity two weeks ago, finished last.