The Gallant Bob offers a hefty $400.00 purse and one of the last chances for three year olds to face off against their own age group. As such, the race has drawn a field of nine ready to pick up some prize money and some valuable graded stakes points as we wind down to the Breeders Cup in just six weeks time. Like sands through the hourglass… we’re almost there. 

1. Painted Ice (Alydar Stables/B. Curtis) Is cutting back to a sprint distance for the first time since he broke his maiden last summer at Saratoga. Since that time he established himself as a top sophomore winning the G3 Lecomte Stakes and G3 Lexington.Those win landed him in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby. He has missed hitting the board in three races since that Lexington win, finishing eighth in the Derby, sixth in the Belmont Stakes and fifth in the WV Derby. Seeks a return to form at the shorter distance. 

2. Reciprocal Rubber (Maxmillion Farm/L.R. Rivera) Won the G1 Champagne stakes as a two year old and followed that up with a third in the G1 BC Juvenile and a win in the G2 KY Jockey Club to finish out his season. Carried that good form into the next year winning the Rushaway Stakes in March. Threw in a clunker in the Derby finishing twentieth and last. He skipped the rest of the Triple Crown following the Derby with a ninth in the G3 Winn. He then was given a two month break which seemed to do him some good as he came back with a neck win in the ELP Derby in early August. Seeks to keep that form going in his first sprint in over a year. 

3. Bhamo Road (Ajm Stables/J. Lezcano) Obviously has talent as he has won four of his seven races with two seconds. He was purchased for $50.00 in May and has run twice for his new barn with a nose loss in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs followed by a win in the same condition at Saratoga in July. He has been working fast since then and gets his acid test today.

4. Silver Hurricane (Mb Stables/J.R. Velazquez) Has been first or second in six of seven races this season. He has been racing with the cream of his crop as demonstrated by his G1 Santa Anita Derby win in the Spring. He ran a very good fourth in the Preakness Stakes and has followed that up with a series of near misses with seconds in the G3 Winn, G2 Dandy and G1 The Jerkens Memorial missing that last one by a scant nose. Top contender to state the obvious. 

5. Starbright (TwinTowersRacing/T. Gaffalione) Can be very good and can be sort of avg. Kind of depends on the day. Ran a very good third in the G1 Bluegrass Stakes  and has not hit the board in three subsequent races although he did run a good fourth in the G3 Winn where he was less than a length behind Silver Hurricane at the wire. Looking for first win for this barn since being picked up at auction for $153.64 last December.

6. Sweet N Spicy (Mb Stables/P. Lopez) The second entry from Mb Stables finished third to his stablemat Silver Hurricane in the G1 Santa Anita Derby and returns to graded competition for the first time since that effort. He has run consistently well since then including a stakes win in The Lee restricted The Lee in June. He ran a good closing fourth in the ELP Derby in his last race and now cuts back to six furlongs. Can be a factor but feel the barnmate in post four is stronger. 

7. Storm Sequence (Maxmillion Farm/S.X. Bridgmohan) The gelding was purchased for $135.00 in May and has not been seen in a starting gate since. He shows three straight strong sprint efforts against his age group in his last three races going back to last November. He won The Brown as a two year old at Churchill Downs. As a three year old he showed good form finishing third in both the Swale Stakes in January and then the Animal Kingdom Stakes in March. He was sold two months later and now makes his first start for his new connections. Works indicate he has not lost his speed. Intriguing runner. 

8. Ideal Hero (Jkk Racing Stables/M.J. Sanchez) Hombres colt became a stake winner at two when he hit the wire first in the Wait For It Stakes for PA breds. Has not had the same success against open company at the stakes level but discount those efforts a bit as he was attempting to stretch out and he seems much better suited to shorter distances. He missed bagging his second stakes race by a neck in July in the Banjo Picker Stakes for PA breds. His last race was a nose miss in an open allowance at Saratoga. Sharp.

9. Control The Center (Mb Stables/R. Santana Jr.) G1 winner as a two year old winning the Pharoah Stakes at The Great Race Place. Disappointed in his last two races following that last season but rebounded by winning the G2 San Vicente Stakes in his three year old debut. Has only hit the board once in five races since then but that one time was a win sprinting in the Animal Kingdom Stakes where he finished a length in front of Storm Sequence. He was forwardly placed from post position two that day but draws outside today. 

It is probably a chalky pick but Silver Hurricane has been putting in good performances consistently against tough fields and his last start at 7 furlongs shows the cut back likely will not be a problem. Put him on top followed by Storm Sequence who is lightly raced and seems to have been laying in wait for a good spot to re-emerge. To round out the top four I put Reciprocal Rubber in third followed by Bhamo Road who is my dark horse pick. 

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES