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Gallant Son capitalizes on pace meltdown in Inglewood

Gallant Son is two-for-three on turf (Benoit Photos) When dyed-in-the-wool front runners Compari (Redattore [Brz]) and Monterey Jazz (Thunderello) both scratched from Sunday's $100,000 Inglewood H. (G3) at Hollywood Park, one might have expected a relatively steady early pace to ensue. One would have guessed wrong. In fact, a three-way war erupted through torrid fractions, and Chris and Diane Randall's GALLANT SON (Malabar Gold) swooped from off the pace to score his first graded victory by an emphatic 1 3/4 lengths. Compari and Monterey Jazz were withdrawn for different reasons. Trainer Marty Jones revealed that Compari, the 7-5 morning-line favorite, came down with a bruised right front hoof. Monterey Jazz opted to run in Saturday's San Francisco Mile (G2) at Golden Gate Fields instead, where he was just collared late by Bold Chieftain (Chief Seattle). In their absence, 3-1 favorite Acclamation (Unusual Heat), Rummysecretwar (Sea of Secrets) and Red Alert Day (GB) (Diktat) all blasted from the gate intent on grabbing the lead. The trio rapidly separated themselves from the rest of the field, opening up by five lengths through an opening quarter in :22 3/5. Meanwhile, Gallant Son was maneuvered into the perfect spot by Mike Smith, who angled him over from his outside post into virtually a joint fourth alongside Great Siege (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]).

Down the backstretch, Joe Talamo on Acclamation eased his mount out of the suicidal battle and settled him into a stalking third. Red Alert Day continued to duel with the 29-1 Rummysecretwar, who kept his head in front through a half-mile in :45 2/5 and six furlongs in 1:09 1/5. Both were spent forces midway on the far turn.

Gallant Son was moving best of all the pursuing pack, slingshot past the collapsing pacesetters turning for home, and kicked away. From that point on, the Frank Lucarelli charge stamped his authority on the race and completed 1 1/16 miles in a sparkling 1:39 3/5 on the firm turf. Gallant Son rewarded his backers with $8.20, $5 and $4 as the slight second choice at 3-1.

The 29-1 Quindici Man (Came Home) rallied from last to take second by a half-length, returning $17.80 and $9.60. Glowing Praise (GB) (Fantastic Light) caught Acclamation by a half-length for third, and the nearly 22-1 chance gave back $11.80 to show. The $1 exotics totaled $90.60 (exacta), $1,325.80 (trifecta) and $11,028.80 (11-10-1-7 superfecta). Lease of Life (Cozzene) checked in fifth, followed by Great Siege, Dark Islander (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]), Red Alert Day and Rummysecretwar.

Gallant Son sports an overall mark of 16-6-2-0, $262,898, but he boasts a 3-2-1-0 record on the grass. The dark bay captured the 2009 Pasadena S. in his turf debut, and in his only subsequent attempt on the surface, he finished second to The Usual Q. T. (Unusual Heat) in the Sir Beaufort S. (G3) in December.

On the dirt as a juvenile in 2008, Gallant Son landed the Gottstein Futurity and Premio Esmeralda S. at Emerald Downs. He was a troubled seventh in his synthetic debut in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride, but he failed to thrive in three further races on synthetic. After a seventh in the 2009 Santa Anita Derby (G1), Gallant Son was sidelined for more than eight months. An encouraging second in his return in the grassy Sir Beaufort, he was again unplaced on the Pro-Ride in the San Fernando S. (G2) and Strub S. (G2) earlier this year. Gallant Son turned in a much better performance when runner-up in the off-the-turf Joe Hernandez S. at 6 1/2 Pro-Ride furlongs, but checked in fourth versus specialist sprinters at the same track and trip in the Potrero Grande H. (G2) last time out.

Bred by Tony Holmes and Highclere, Gallant Son went to his current owners for a bargain $9,000 at Keeneland September. The four-year-old colt is the only registered foal from his dam, the winning Exploit mare Explicitly. Gallant Son's second dam, the winning Slabovia (Cool Victor), is a full sister to Canadian champion sprinter Apelia, herself the dam of Canadian champion older mare Saoirse (Cure the Blues) and Adirondack S. (G2) heroine More Happy (Vindication). Saoirse has gone on to produce dual Canadian Grade 3 queen Hide and Chic (Seeking the Gold) and multiple stakes winner Autobahn Girl (A.P. Indy). Further back, this is the family of Fleetstreet Dancer (Smart Strike), hero of the 2003 Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-G1).

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