Salty Strike rolls in Dogwood

Last updated: 6/4/11 6:40 PM

Salty Strike was all alone
in the final furlongs of the Dogwood
(Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs)

Craig B. Singer’s homebred SALTY STRIKE (Smart Strike) rallied to the lead
leaving the far turn and drew clear to an easy win in Saturday’s $109,300
Dogwood
S. (G3), notching her first stakes victory with a 3 3/4-length decision in
the one-mile test for three-year-old fillies. With jockey Manoel Cruz in the
saddle, the Kenny McPeek pupil completed the one-turn distance in 1:35 1/5 at
Churchill Downs.

Might (Arch), a full sister to Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner and champion
Blame, raced near the back of the pack during the early stages and was never a
serious factor, finishing fifth as the 4-5 favorite in her stakes bow.

Salty Strike entered the Dogwood off a seven-length win over
allowance/optional claiming rivals on May 20 and also broke her maiden at
Churchill Downs a little more than a year ago. The dark bay now owns a 4-3-0-1
mark under the Twin Spires, the lone setback being a neck third in the Debutante
S. (G3) last summer. Her overall ledger reads 7-3-1-1, with $152,492 in
earnings.

Off as the 5-1 third choice among six rivals, Salty Strike returned $12.80,
$4.80 and $3.20 to her supporters. Debut maiden winner Fantasy of Flight
(Tiznow), who established early fractions in :23 and :46 on a short lead, held
well for second in her second career start. She was off as the 2-1 second
choice. It was 1 1/4 lengths back the 5-1 Gran Lioness (Lion Heart), who edged
35-1 outsider Angelica Zapata (Sharp Humor) by a neck for third. Holy Heavens
(Holy Bull) trailed under the wire, and Henny’s Hurricane (Henny Hughes) and
Juanita (Mineshaft) were both scratched.

The Kentucky-bred Salty Strike is out of the winning Salt Lake mare Lake
Huron, who is also the dam of the stakes-winning filly Salty Response (Cozzene);
multiple stakes runner-up Northern Vacation (Yankee Victor); the yearling filly
Iroquois Girl (Indian Girl); and a 2011 filly by Stormy Atlantic. This is the
female family of noted sire Halo.