Jacobson to have big say in Forego, Ballerina

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – David Jacobson plans on being well represented in the Grade 1 sprint races on the Aug. 29 program with Salutos Amigos in the $700,000 Forego and Room for Me in the $500,000 Ballerina. Both races are at seven furlongs.

On Tuesday, both Salutos Amigos and Room for Me put in timed workouts at Saratoga, with Salutos Amigos going an easy half-mile in 53.03 seconds and Room for Me breezing three furlongs in 38.09 seconds.

Salutos Amigos is coming off a fourth-place finish behind Rock Fall and The Big Beast in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap here on Aug. 1.

Jacobson said that leading up to the race Salutos Amigos had a little irritation in his throat, but it wasn’t something he felt should have kept him out of the race.

“No temperature, no fever, no infection – he just had a little irritation in his throat which is not there anymore,” Jacobson said.

Room for Me, meanwhile, is coming off a 5 3/4-length victory in the Regret Stakes at Monmouth on Aug. 1. She is 5 for 7 this year with a half-length loss to La Verdad in the Grade 3 Vagrancy at Belmont in May. La Verdad, coming off a four-length victory in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss, will be among the favorites in the Ballerina.

“With a cleaner trip she might have beat her that day,” Jacobson said, referring to the Vagrancy. “Seven-eighths might help us.”