Salah Champ looks to stay hot in Grace Handicap

SANTA ROSA, Calif. – After a six-month layoff, Salah Champ has come back firing, and the 5-year-old gelded son of Benchmark might be the horse to beat Sunday in the $50,000 Joseph T. Grace Handicap at Santa Rosa. The 1 1/16-mile turf event for 3-year-olds and up drew a competitive field of eight.

Salah Champ, owned by Janet Hollendofer, Mark Schlaich, and George Todaro and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, did plenty of good work in 2014, winning 6 of 13 starts. After a lengthy layoff, he won a strong optional claimer on turf May 25 at Golden Gate Fields and was a sharp second in a 1 1/4-mile turf event June 28 at Santa Anita.

Montego Bay, owned by Stone Farm and Shawn Dugan and trained by Neil Drysdale, gamely prevailed by a head in a strong optional claimer July 16 at Del Mar. That was his first start in almost two months, so he can improve.

Eagle Screams, owned by M.A. Douzos and trained by Gil Matos, looks to continue his good form. A winner of 4 of 12 on turf, his last win came on the grass April 25 at Golden Gate. He was fourth in the Grade 3 All American on the synthetic main track there May 25 and has been freshened since finishing a game second to returning foe Blues Blaster in the Oak Tree Handicap on dirt June 20 at Pleasanton.

Key contenders

Salah Champ (Last 3 Beyers: 95-91-84)

* Posted a career-best Beyer Speed Figure (95) when finishing a clear second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of the third-place finisher, June 28 at Santa Anita. The horse who beat him, Big John B, is a Grade 2 winner who came right back to capture the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar on July 24.

Won the only time he set foot on this course last August.

Montego Bay (Last 3 Beyers: 93-89-84)

* Showed that he fits with Salah Champ by rallying to be second to that rival, beaten just a length, on turf May 25 at Golden Gate.

* Drysdale apparently has targeted this meet, as he won the Wine Country with Miss Double d’Oro and ran third in the Luther Burbank with Aguafria, his first two starters of the meet.

Eagle Screams (Last 3 Beyers: 95-94-91)

* Has the speed to be forwardly placed from the start.

* Signaled his readiness for this with a bullet five-furlong work in 59.60 seconds July 25 on Golden Gate’s synthetic main track.