Woodbine: Oldtimer Salty Langfuhn looks strong in claimer

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The wonderful career of the venerable 10-year-old Salty Langfuhn appears to be winding down, and he should be favored in Thursday’s seventh race, a $16,000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up.

Salty Langfuhn made all but one of his 59 starts at Woodbine, which is where he debuted in November 2003. The sway-backed gelding was claimed from that losing race for $32,000 by trainer Abraham Katryan from trainer Paul Buttigieg. Katryan then sent him out to graduate for $40,000 when he was claimed by trainer Norm McKnight.

Salty Langfuhn failed to win for McKnight, who lost him back to Katryan for $50,000 in July 2004. Katryan won three more races with him, before losing him for $19,000 in September 2005 to owner/trainer Audre Cappuccitti.

Cappuccitti had a good run with Salty Langfuhn over the next 2 1/2 years, during which he went from being a dirt to a Polytrack specialist, because of the surface change on the main track. Trainer Steve Asmussen scooped him up for $32,000 in May 2008 and has campaigned him ever since.

Salty Langfuhn has won 10 races here for Asmussen, who ran him out of town once, a fifth-place finish in an optional claimer early in 2010 at Oaklawn. He has three wins in eight starts at this meet, including a victory over seven furlongs against $20,000 opposition Nov. 3. He has an overall record of 17-17-9, for earnings of just more than $700,000.

On Thursday, Salty Langfuhn will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles under Luis Contreras, who was aboard for four of his triumphs.

Delaforce, who is winless since December 2008, could be the main threat. He wound up second in 4 of 11 outings at the meet, including back-to-back $32,000 sprints early in the fall.

Most recently in a $20,000 route, Delaforce raced in second, well off an out-of-control front-runner, en route to finishing a close third behind Macallan and Golden Glade. Gerry Olguin will ride him again for trainer Kevin Attard.

The Marty Drexler-trained entry of Catch the Luck and Tycoon Doby is in with a shot.

Catch the Luck has regressed gradually since commencing his season with a second and a first in July. He is dropping off a fading fifth-place finish against $25,000 stock.

Tycoon Doby went way too fast on the lead before tiring in Delaforce’s last excursion. He was previously in deceptively good form, but has gone without a victory since October 2009.