Petulante finds first stakes triumph in Salvatore Mile
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Petulante became a stakes winner after battling Nimitz Class for a half-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Salvator Mile on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
It was another two lengths back in third to Trademark.
The race was for 3-year-olds and up and was one of four stakes on the Haskell Preview Day card. It could produce starters for the Grade 3, $400,000 Monmouth Cup on the Haskell undercard July 22.
Petulante ($5.80) sat just off a pressured pace set by Octane, who was overtaken by Nimitz Class after six furlongs in 1:12.09. Petulante, who broke from the rail, was angled out into the stretch by jockey Luis Saez and rallied with good energy to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:36.88.
“He’s a very good horse,” winning trainer Victor Barboza Jr. said. “Position one is very bad for my horse. Luis is very smart. He didn’t move him early. He waited and the horse finished very good.”
Petulante was winning his third straight race, following allowance wins at Gulfstream Park in January and Churchill Downs in May.
After the wire on Saturday, Saez dismounted Petulante, but the horse was walked back to the winner’s circle in full tack. Saez was back aboard Petulante for pictures. Barboza said about an hour after the race that Petulante was walking well in the test barn, cooling out fine after his race at Monmouth.
“He’s okay,” he said.
Barboza said Petulante would return to his Gulfstream Park base and from there decisions on his next start would be made with owners Lugamo Racing Stables.
Petulante is a son of Arrogate who has now won 4 of 6 starts for earnings of $236,555.
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