Salmanazar aces turf test in Texas Glitter Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It’s bound to happen now and again, Todd Pletcher winning a stakes race named for a standout he once trained. And that’s just what happened Saturday at Gulfstream Park when Salmanazar, ridden by John Velazquez, sped to victory in the fourth running of the $75,000 Texas Glitter.

Breaking sharply from his rail post in a field of eight 3-year-olds, Salmanazar never looked back in winning by two lengths, paying $12.60 to win after finishing the five-furlong distance in 55.84 seconds over a firm course. His stablemate, Barbarossa, the 8-5 favorite, nearly completed the Pletcher exacta but was nipped in a head-bob by 13-1 shot Shangroyal for second.

The Starlight Racing of Jack Wolf and partners own Salmanazar, a Shackleford colt who had been away more than eight months after fading as the favorite in the June 9 Tremont Stakes at Belmont in his second career start. The Texas Glitter marked his turf debut.

“We thought he would run well,” said Pletcher. “We were just looking for a place to bring him back, and there weren’t a lot of options.”

Salmanazar was a sharp winner of his April debut at Keeneland before disappointing as the 8-5 favorite in the Tremont.

“He had a little setback after his second start but came back to train well,” said Pletcher. “I’m not 100 percent that we’ll keep him on turf, but we’re happy with where we are with him now.”

After the top three, Bourbon Currency was fourth with a difficult trip, followed by Clouded Judgment, Wildcat’s Legacy, Dial One, and Reed Kan.

The $2 exacta (1-4) paid $171, the $1 trifecta (1-4-2) returned $259.20, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-4-2-7) was worth $75.05.

Texas Glitter, a turf-sprint specialist for Pletcher, earned $826,077 in a 37-race career that ended in 2002.

The Texas Glitter had been scheduled as one of two turf-sprint stakes for 3-year-olds here Saturday, but the Gulfstream racing office deferred the filly counterpart, the $75,000 Melody of Colors, until Sunday. March X Press, also trained by Pletcher, will be a heavy favorite in a field of seven.