On Jan. 4, Impacto won in $12,500 claiming company at Tampa Bay Downs, his seventh victory in a 17-race career, and was taken out of the race by owner/trainer Juan Arriagada for the claiming price. Arriagada wasted no time wheeling the 6-year-old First Dude gelding back for $20,000 just 11 days later, and Impacto turned in a career performance, with Arriagada profiting to the tune of $16,750.

    Ademar Santos was aboard for Impacto’s score, and the gelding was sitting on the tote board at 2-1 as his rider eased him into the gate. Impacto broke a second slowly, but Santos quickly had him stalking the pace in the three path as the odds changed and suddenly he was 4/5. After a :22.02 quarter, Impacto charged into the lead, put up fractions of :44.66 and :57.03, and cruised home by one length in 1:10.03, a little over one second off the track record.  His Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 100 is one point off his career best.

    Impacto is now 8-2-2 in 19 tries with earnings of $130,886.