McLaughlin ships in Sallisaw for optional claimer
Kiaran McLaughlin has entered Sallisaw in the seventh race at Laurel Park on Sunday, a first-level optional-claiming race for 3-year-olds going a mile.
Sallisaw has made four straight starts in stakes company since winning his career debut at Saratoga and figures to be a solid favorite. Trevor McCarthy, Laurel’s leading rider, takes the mount.
In his last two starts at Aqueduct, Sallisaw finished third in the Lost in the Fog Stakes and was second in the King’s Swan. Sallisaw is owned by the Cheyenne Stables of Everett Dobson, who also owns Clothes Fall Off, who is under consideration for next week’s Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel. Clothes Fall Off set a six-furlong track record at Aqueduct for McLaughlin in her most recent start.
McLaughlin doesn’t ship to Laurel often but had a 12-4-4-1 record there last year.
Trainer Mike Trombetta has entered both Flash McCaul and It’s the Journey in Sunday’s race. Flash McCaul and It’s the Journey finished second and third last time out in the statebred Maryland Juvenile Futurity.
Trombetta is coming off a big week at Laurel, during which his stable earned $136,000 in purses. He went 4 for 8 and won the Conniver Stakes with Candida H.
Flash McCaul rallied up outside of Maryland Futurity winner Ravenheart in the final sixteenth of the seven-furlong Futurity but could not get by late and was beaten a head. The son of Friesan Fire has finished second in his last four starts.
It’s the Journey scored a nice maiden win going a mile in his start prior to the Futurity. He was shuffled back on the turn of the Futurity, made a move into contention in upper stretch, then flattened out a bit late. A son of Mineshaft, he has every right to improve Sunday while making his fourth career start.