Salta's last work tells Desormeaux he's ready to roll
When the unraced 2-year-old colt Salta worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds from the gate at Santa Anita on May 14, trainer Keith Desormeaux knew it was time to find a debut race.
Desormeaux has entered Salta in a maiden special weight race at 4 1/2 furlongs on Sunday, opting for a May launch to the colt’s career instead of a race in June.
Desormeaux described the quick workout as “a convincing factor.”
“Before that work, I thought I’d have to give him one more,” Desormeaux said. “He finished well enough and I thought I better go in this race. If I wait another month, he’d be over-ready by then.”
Salta, who is by Carpe Diem, was purchased for $100,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in training in March. The fitness Salta gained in advance of presale workouts is a benefit, Desormeaux said.
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“I’m depending on the fact that he does have three half-mile works,” Desormeaux said. “He came from the 2-year-old in training sale and they have them pretty sharp anyway.
“He’s good enough to not only be competitive, but maybe win. Most of all, it will give him some seasoning.”
Owned by Picard Thoroughbred Racing Stable, Salta is part of a field of nine, which will be limited to eight starters. Salta drew post 8.
“I thought maybe I’d catch an easy field,” Desormeaux said. “The field looks solid.”
Trainer Luis Mendez has two well-regarded first-time starters with Flame Rider, by Street Sense, and Mendez Mile, by More than Ready. Tahoma, from the first crop by Triple Crown winner Justify, may go favored for trainer Doug O’Neill.
Tahoma, who races for West Coast Stables, was purchased for $160,000 as a yearling at Keeneland last September. Tahoma worked a half-mile from the gate in 47 seconds on Monday, the fastest of 56 works at the distance.
“He breezed really well out of the gate,” O’Neill said. “We’re optimistic. He’s bred to be a good one so we’re hoping to see a really good effort.”
Tahoma is a half-brother to the O’Neill-trained Legends of War, who won the Grade 3 Franklin-Simposon Stakes for turf sprinters at Kentucky Downs in 2019 and was 12th at 28-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint that year at Santa Anita.
O’Neill said Tahoma’s speed in workouts has been a surprise.
“I thought he’d need more of a two-turn race, but he’s showing he’s a precocious colt,” O’Neill said. “He seems like he’s ready to go over there and compete.”