Galloping Gashes

Galloping Grocer's trainer, Dominick Schettino, offered a couple of excuses for the big colt's disappointing finish.

"He's got a pretty big gash on the back of his left hind leg," Schettino said. "I don't know if a horse stepped on him on the first turn. I'll have to check him out. He was coming off a layoff [and] I didn't think they would go that fast that early. He punched late, but just got a little tired. He'll move forward off this race."[NY Post]

Ironically, Rockport Harbor suffered a similar gash on his right hind leg when he edged Galloping Grocer in the Remsen, an injury he's still working his way back from. The winner of the Whirlaway, Sort It Out, is, like the beaten favorite, is a NY bred, though his sire, Out of Place, a son of Cox’s Ridge, stands in Kentucky.

- Scipion should attract tons of attention now with the way he came from way back to win the Risen Star, no matter if the race wasn’t fast; people love these types when it comes to the Derby.

- Like the way Sis City ran faster than Bandini by nearly a full second at Gulfstream last weekend, again the fillies proved quicker as Summerly posted a similarly faster time than Scipion in winning the Silverbulletday.

- Steve Crist on the parade of longshots on the Big A’s inner track of late:

The best thing about this Brigadoon of longshots is that it provides positive reinforcement for the idea that imagination and creativity count for something in playing horses. The worst thing a handicapper can do is get bludgeoned by predictable results and short prices into thinking that following the crowd and the odds drops is the only way to play the game.

Taking lonely, independent stands usually leaves you lonely and broke and cursing the bonehead ride that made your 41-1 shot run only a close fourth. When a few of them actually get up to win, it gives you the courage to keep trying to elude the obvious, even at Saratoga. [Daily Racing Form (subscription only)]