08/31/2020

  2  PRX      Turf Monster Handicap (GIII)

             $300.000        3yo&Up       5f  Turf       Hcp Weights

Two lengths from first to last, that helps explain why I said this would be a wide open race.  In the end, Salili, the post time favorite owned by Team 7 Illusions, out-finished the field and won a four-horse photo to take the Turf Monster Hcp (GIII) by the slimmest of margins.  Puako lost the photo and settled for the place with Red Arrow a head back in third, then Toxic Personality another nose back in fourth… what a finish.

The eight combatants loaded up and were away from the gate with Toxic Personality out quickly, Mr Scratch on his inside and Glorious on his outside, down to the rail for Chrystal Believer, Salili towards the outside, back to the inside for Red Arrow, Puako next to that one, and Rocking The Boat was away slowest of all.

The opening quarter went in :22.18 and as the field made their way to the far turn, three furlongs to run, Toxic Personality continued to lead by three-quarters of a length.  Glorious and Salili on her outside, Mr Scratch towards the inside and Chrystal Believer on the hedge.  Red Arrow right next to that one, Puako three wide and Rocking The Boat moved to the rail, trailing four lengths from the leader.

Around the far turn and past the three-sixteenths pole, Toxic Personality in front by a length with a group of five hot on his tail… Salili gaining ground from the far outside, Glorious next to that one, Red Arrow between Chrystal Believer from the inside and Mr Scratch on his outside, Puako just behind that group and wide, as Rocking The Boat continued to trail on the rail.

Deep stretch and to the finish, four across the track and battling to the wire, Salili, Toxic Personality, Red Arrow and Puako from the outside… it was an epic battle to the finish and as they hit the wire, it was anyone’s guess as the blur of horseflesh and silks was just to tight to call.  The stewards went to the photograph and in fact Salili just nipped Puako for the win in a bang-bang-bang-bang finish.  A head back to Red Arrow in third, by a thread over Toxic Personality in fourth.  A length back to the closing Rocking The Boat in fifth, a nose back to Glorious in sixth, Mr Scratch seventh and Chrystal Believer closed this one out.

Salili is a 4yo grey colt by Cherokee Sunset – Mourn, by Charley Farley, and he was bred by his owner, Team 7 Illusions, in Fla.  The colt was sold prior to his racing career but the big stable thought enough of him to pay 10x that sale price, taking him back for the tidy sum of $1,500.000, and this was the first win since the move back home.  He now has six wins from twenty starts and has earnings of $687.190.

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Firm        Time: :22   :44³  :56²
$1 Exacta: 7 – 3 Paid 20.00            $1 Trifecta: 7 – 3 – 2 Paid 164.40
Scratched: None

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES