Salutos Amigos rarin' to go in Gravesend

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Salutos Amigos is likely itching to get back to the races as much as the New York circuit’s fans, who have gone 10 days without seeing a live race at Aqueduct.

The elongated break for both the 4-year-old gelding and horseplayers ends Friday, when Salutos Amigos heads a five-horse field entered to run six furlongs in the $100,000 Gravesend Handicap over Aqueduct’s inner track. The Gravesend highlights a nine-race card, the first at Aqueduct since Dec. 15. The Gravesend will go as race 3, thus keeping it out of a pick six wager that starts the day with a $16,309 carryover. There will be no show wagering.

The Gravesend will mark the first race for Salutos Amigos in 30 days, or since he won the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap over the main track by 1 3/4 lengths. That was the 13th race of the year and third in 34 days for Salutos Amigos, who on Oct. 25 won the Grade 3 Bold Ruler and a week later finished seventh, beaten three lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“He likes to run,” said trainer David Jacobson, who owns Salutos Amigos in partnership with Mike Moreno’s Southern Equine Stable.

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The Gravesend also features Dads Caps, this year’s Grade 1 Carter Handicap winner; Mewannarose, second to Salutos Amgos in the Fall Highweight; Crafty Dreamer; and longshot Green Gratto.

KEY CONTENDERS

Salutos Amigos (Last 3 Beyers 105-97-106)

◗ Despite toting high weight of 133 pounds, Salutos Amigos dominated the Grade 3 Fall Highweight, defeating Mewannarose, to whom he was conceding nine pounds. Friday, Salutos Amigos carries 124 pounds, same as Dads Caps and six more than Mewannarose.

◗ This will be his first start over the inner track. “He could move up on it,” Jacobson said. “He will run good that day.”

◗ With Cornelio Velasquez sidelined with a broken collarbone, Irad Ortiz Jr. has picked up the mount.

Dads Caps (Last 3 Beyers 94-105-95)

◗ Upset the Grade 1 Carter going seven furlongs over main track in April, ending a streak of three consecutive second-place finishes in stakes run over the inner track.

◗ Came within a neck of beating Private Zone in Grade 1 Vosburgh going six furlongs at Belmont Park.

◗ Could be the horse to catch breaking from post 2 under Jose Ortiz.

◗ Finished fourth as the favorite in the $350,000 De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park on Nov. 15. According to trainer Rudy Rodriguez, Dads Caps did not handle the ship to Laurel very well and was washed out on the track prior to the race.

◗ Dads Caps has 2 wins and 3 seconds in 5 starts over the inner track.

Mewannarose (Last 3 Beyers 101-87-90)

◗ Ran huge when second to Salutos Amigos in Grade 3 Fall Highweight following runner-up finish to Bern Identity in the Tale of the Cat Stakes at Saratoga.

◗ “He trained like a stakes horse, but when you’re running 10 Beyers points behind what everyone else has been running, we weren’t sure what to expect,” trainer Chris Englehart said about the Fall Highweight. “He’s matured more, filled out, looks like a million bucks. We’re going to try and make some money with him on the inner track if we can.”