Salamis © Benoit Photo
Salamis dug in deep down the stretch to give Chad Brown a stakes double in winning the Grade I $ 300,000 Hollywood by a neck, going 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Breaking out of post position four in a field of eight, Umberto Rispoli kept Salamis (3-1) in the clear, sixth up the backstretch about six lengths off the lead. Coming to the turn for home the pair linked up with favorite Test Score (4-5) and Juan Hernandez who were travelling to their inside in fifth. Tom’s Magic (4-1) who travelled in fourth about a length off the pace, swung out three wide coming down the stretch put his head in front the last sixteenth of a mile but got outkicked by a rolling Salamis in the final furlongs to get second by a neck. Test Score lacked racing room behind Tempus Volat and pace setter Kokosan in the stretch found an opening the final sixteen of a mile and got up for the show by 1 ¼ lengths over Tempus Volat.
“We had a nice chat this morning. Chad (Brown) was pretty straight forward, which was to pump him out of the gate. Don’t be afraid, just let him settle. Come around with your right side clear. I worked on him out of the gate. I was a little bit worried with the slow pace, but I know Chad’s horses always have a nice turn of foot.” Said Rispoli.
With the victory, Salamis gave trainer Chad Brown a record five wins in the Hollywood Derby. A Juddemonte homebred, Salamis has two stake wins and has improved his record to 7-3-0-2 and increased his earnings to $353,363 and paid $8.20, $6.60, and $2.60.
“This horse is really talented and I knew he could get there.” Said assistant trainer to Chad Brown, Jose Hernandez. “He’s been running well in his last three races. He’s been training really well at Keeneland and here. He deserved to win this race.”
Tom’s Magic who finished full of run for trainer Michael Stidham returned $9.20 and $3.00. Trained by Graham Motion, Test Score paid $2.10.
Fractions on the race were 24.14, 49.92, 1:15.18, 1:39.20 for a final time of 1:50.74.
The 12th edition of the Bing Crosby Season comes to a close Sunday with a nine-race card, four stakes are on tap, highlighted by the Grade 1, Matriarch Stakes. First post on closing day Sunday is 12:30 PM. A carryover of $329,973 is up for grabs in Sunday’s Early Pick 5 track officials estimate the total pool will surpass $2 million, mandatory payouts will be in place for all wagering pools.
UMBERTO RISPOLI (Salamis, Winner) – “We had a nice chat this morning. Chad (Brown) was pretty straight forward, which was to pump him out of the gate. Don’t be afraid, just let him settle. Come around with your right side clear. I worked on him out of the gate. I was a little bit worried with the slow pace, but I know Chad’s horses always have a nice turn of foot.”
JOSE HERNANDEZ asst. to Chad Brown (Salamis, Winner) – “I was a bit concerned because this track has a lot of speed, so the horses have to be at the top. One, two, or three. But this horse is really talented and I knew he could get there. He’s been running well in his last three races. He’s been training really well at Keeneland and here. He deserved to win this race.”