Salutos Amigos getting a short rest

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Salutos Amigos will be given a freshening and point to a summer campaign, with the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga the midrange objective, trainer David Jacobson said Thursday.

Salutos Amigos is back at Aqueduct following a trip to Dubai, where he finished eighth, beaten 5 1/2 lengths by Secret Circle, in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 28. Jacobson said Salutos Amigos developed “a few complications” before the race that likely prevented him from running his best.

“He didn’t go into the race 110 percent like he always did,” Jacobson said. “He only got beat 5 1/2 lengths.”

Jacobson said that after talking with co-owner Mike Moreno, the decision was made to take Salutos Amigos out of training for 30 days and point to a summer campaign.

“He’s had a hard campaign the last 12 months,” Jacobson said. “We’ll point for the Forego and hope to get a race in him before that.”

Since last Aug. 31, when he finished second in an allowance race at Saratoga, Salutos Amigos has run nine races in seven months. He won five of those races, including a trio of Grade 3 stakes.

The Forego is scheduled for Aug. 29. The traditional prep for the Forego is the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt, scheduled for Aug. 1.

Jacobson said Salutos Amigos will remain in the barn during his break. Jacobson will soon be shipping 30 horses to Belmont Park, where he will now stable the bulk of his New York division.