Pirate's Punch makes amends with Salvator Mile victory

Pirate's Punch finished this summer with a graded stakes victory at Monmouth Park after all, winning the Grade 3, $150,000 Salvator Mile on Sunday to redeem himself for a disqualification last time out and to earn a shot at the Breeders' Cup.

Pirate's Punch, a 4-year-old Shanghai Bobby gelding, is trained by Grant Forster for Gulliver Racing, Craig Drager, and Dan Legan. He has now won 5 of 17 career starts, with the Salvator Mile officially his first graded stakes win. He crossed the line first in the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes on Aug. 22 at Monmouth, 1 1/2 lengths clear of Warrior's Charge after a prolonged battle. However, he was disqualified to second for drifting in and interfering with Warrior's Charge in the lane.

“He really validated that last race," Forster told Monmouth publicity. "I said before the race I was concerned about bringing him back this quickly with the traveling (from Kentucky), but every day he has been a 10 out there on the track for us and he gave us every reason to come back."

Pirate's Punch ($6.60), typically a pace factor, was rated in third and in the clear by jockey Jorge Vargas Jr., as Wind of Change and Prendimi, who both broke inside of him, were quick away from the gate in the opening stages. Wind of Change had established a clear lead through the opening half-mile in a swift 45.80 seconds. Pirate's Punch made a three-wide bid on the far turn and took charge near the quarter pole, swiftly opening up better than a length through six furlongs in 1:11.12. The outcome was never in doubt from there, as he coasted home by two lengths at the wire, with Vargas, who had also been aboard for the Iselin, standing up in celebration in the final yards.

“I’m pleased they gave me another chance to ride this horse after the Iselin," Vargas said. "I didn’t feel what happened that day was all that bad, but I still felt bad about it, and apologized to the owners afterward. They told me I did everything right and rode a good race. Obviously today we wanted to be on the lead because that’s the best way he has run before, but they went quick early on. I didn’t panic. I just tried to keep him clean. I knew I was on the best horse in the race."

The final time for the mile was 1:37.19.

Behind the winner, Top Line Growth held off a mild rally from Bal Harbour to hold second by a head.

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Pirate's Punch's owners indicated prior to the Salvator Mile that they would treat a win in the race as a ticket to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. After the race, Forster, who is based at Churchill Downs, indicated that that would be the plan.

"For us here in Kentucky it’s a home game this year," he said. "He does have one race at Keeneland when he ran very well as he was just starting to improve last fall. I know the owners and I are on board."