A bridesmaid in Grade 1 stakes last year, Salty broke through with such a victory Friday in the Grade 1, $350,000 La Troienne at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.
Capitalizing on an inside draw that allowed her to sit closer to the pace than usual, Salty ran down a loose-on-the-lead Farrell over the final furlong under Tyler Gaffalione. A 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road trained by Mark Casse for a partnership, she raced 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.78, paying $10.40 as the third choice in the wagering.
Farrell held second over third-place Martini Glass, who fought her rider under restraint for much of the race. And champion Abel Tasman, making her first start of 2018, lacked her usual kick and settled for fourth.
Jay Privman will have an in-depth recap of the La Troienne coming up within the next hour or so on www.drf.com