Salvator Mile: Coal Play uncatchable
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Jump to Race Entries/Results Coal Play led all the way, winning the Grade 3, $250,000 Salvator Mile by three lengths over Smooth Air at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
Like the U.N., the Salvator was a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In stakes. The 4-year-old Coal Play now has a guaranteed berth in the BC Dirt Mile.
It was a bit of payback for Coal Play, who raced so gallantly last year in Monmouth's biggest race, the $1 million Haskell Invitational.
He settled for second that afternoon, carving out the pace only to be beaten by a desperate rally from Big Brown.
In the Salvator, there was no catching Coal Play.
Joe Bravo gunned the colt trained by Nick Zito right to the front with Smooth Air, the 7-5 favorite, sitting a pocket trip behind the pacesetter.
Two Step Salsa prompted the pace on the outside while Bravo maintained a snug hold on the leader.
Coal Play sprinted clear with a quarter of a mile to run with only Smooth Air in position to reel him in.
Paco Lopez guided Smooth Air off the fence, but the runner-up in the Met Mile could not close the gap as he drifted wide through the lane.
"When this horse gets things his way, he's real tough," Bravo said. "They tried him several times but he just kept giving more."
Solar Flare was third followed by Two Step Salsa, Kiss the Kid, The Roundhouse, Runforthedoe, and Keep Laughing.
The time was 1:34.54 on the fast track.
