Hold the Salsa gets his chance on turf in New York Stallion Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Hold the Salsa is a two-time stakes winner on dirt, but his trainer, Richard Lugovich, said the son of Hold Me Back was always meant to excel on turf. Saturday, Hold the Salsa will get his first opportunity to run on turf when he goes seven furlongs in a highly competitive renewal of the $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Stakes.

The race has a field of 13 for the turf and one main-track-only entrant, but could lose a major player. Open-company stakes winner Step Dancer might scratch and point to the Manila Stakes going a mile on July 4, according to trainer Barclay Tagg.

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Hold the Salsa is a son of Hold Me Back out of the King Cugat mare Northern Mambo. King Cugat was a two-time graded stakes winner on turf at Belmont. Northern Mambo never raced, but her full sister Spritely Mambo was a first-out winner on turf at Belmont in 2013 at odds of 22-1.

Hold the Salsa was a first-out winner on dirt here last July at 26-1. Lugovich, also the breeder and owner of Hold the Salsa, kept him on dirt throughout the year, and he won the Bertram F. Bongard in the fall at Belmont. On Dec. 6, Hold the Salsa won the $250,000 Great White Way division of the NYSS going seven furlongs at Aqueduct. Five of the horses he beat that day – including second- and third-place finishers It’s Gravy and Market Alert – are back in this spot.

“Believe me, I would have run him on the turf last year, but the first race came up on the dirt and he won first time out, so I just kept him on the dirt,” Lugovich said. “I know he’ll show up real big.”

Javier Castellano rides Hold the Salsa from post 11.

Ocala Dream is making his third start of the meet, coming off a third and then a victory in maiden races. Trainer Tom Morley said his major objective with Ocala Dream for the summer is the Cab Calloway at Saratoga going 1 1/16 miles, but this race is an opportunity to run against 3-year-olds for a nice purse.

“He’s a very gritty, determined horse,” Morley said. “The biggest question mark is the cutback to seven-eighths. Our only other option was a statebred allowance against older horses for a lesser purse. This sets us up very nicely for the race at Saratoga. I’m not sure he’s not going to like seven furlongs, but he’ll definitely love the mile and a sixteenth.”

Dancing Buck, a son of War Dancer, is coming off a first-level allowance win versus statebreds on April 17 at Aqueduct going six furlongs.

Dreamer’s Disease won a maiden on turf at Ellis Park last summer. He’s been facing tougher on dirt and comes back 19 days after a fifth in the Texas Mile at Lone Star Park.

Devious Mo and The King Cheek are both stakes winners on dirt. Thunderbird Cafe, King Moonracer, Jacks American Pie, and Barrage complete the field.

Cupecoy’s Joy

Ava’s Grace may be the class of Saturday’s $150,000 Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Stakes, but it’s tough to take a short price on a filly that was scratched out of the Kentucky Oaks due to a hind-end injury and who is trying turf for the first time.

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Coming off two poor efforts to begin her 2021 campaign, Big Time Lady could offer value in the seven-furlong grass race if she’s able to run back to her turf races at 2.

Big Time Lady won a seven-furlong maiden race here last October and was third after stumbling at the start in the Tepin Stakes at Aqueduct in November.

Rudy Rodriguez would like to see Big Time Lady have something to follow in the Cupecoy’s Joy.

“Hopefully, they run away from her early,” he said. “She’s been very rank the last two races. Hopefully, the seven-eighths helps her.”

Rodriguez also sends out Shesadirtydancer, who has finished fifth in her two turf tries.

Shaker Shack, Ava’s Grace, and possibly Adriatic Rose could be forwardly placed.

Show Me the Honey was good enough to beat 11 maidens in her career debut on this turf course last fall. She hasn’t run since finishing fourth in the Stewart Manor Stakes on Nov. 7 at Aqueduct, but has a healthy work tab leading to her return for trainer Michelle Nevin.

Proper Grammar and Sport Model each is coming off a maiden-claiming victory for trainer Christophe Clement.

Lot of Honey, Beach Banker, and Funwhileitlasted complete the field.