Salsa Express goes for win No. 26
Salsa Express will try to win for the 26th time when she runs in a $25,000 optional-claiming race for fillies and mares Wednesday evening at Northlands Park. Post time for the first of eight races is 6:30 p.m. Mountain.
Despite a relatively dull effort in a $35,000 optional-claiming race June 24, Salsa Express has been installed as the 9-5 favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong dash that drew seven horses.
A dull race for the reliable 10-year-old mare means she wasn’t a real threat to the winner, but was still good enough to finish third. In 70 career starts, she has finished outside of the top three only 12 times, and the last time she wasn’t part of the trifecta was Aug. 27. Since then, she has compiled a 4-2-3 record from nine starts.
Trained by Ernie Keller, Salsa Express won at this level and distance June 3 before losing to Eyes Her Man and Wine Not Whiskey in her latest race. Eyes Her Man got loose on the lead and cruised to a 4 1/2-length romp over Wine Not Whiskey, who rallied from well back.
Wine Not Whiskey, also entered for Wednesday, got through along the inside on the stretch turn when Salsa Express moved off the rail to launch her bid.
Wine Not Whiskey, trained by Amanda Gregory, will break from post 5 with Jorge Espitia aboard.
Salsa Express drew post 4 with Tony Maragh retaining the mount. She has more speed than Wine Not Whiskey and could get a nice trip sitting just off pacesetters Caro’s Song and Holy Force.
KEY CONTENDERS
Salsa Express(Last 3 Beyers: 45-65-68)
◗ She is as honest as they come, will appreciate the class relief, and could get a nice trip stalking what figures to be a contested pace.
Wine Not Whiskey (Last 3 Beyers: 55-54-52)
◗ She finished fourth behind Salsa Express in her first start this year, but improved in her latest and could be sitting on a peak performance in the third start of her form cycle.
Caro’s Song (Last 3 Beyers: 60-61-61)
◗ Trained by Ron Grieves, she has the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure in the field and could be dangerous if she can get the jump on Holy Force early.
Lillie Abbie (Last 3 Beyers: 59-54-51)
◗ She was an easy winner of a one-mile $12,500 claiming race July 4.
Her trainer, Jim Meyaard, is winning races at a 30 percent clip at the meet.