Gantry eyeing Breeders’ Cup after Smile Sprint Handicap success
According to trainer Ron Faucheux, Gantry is in great shape following a comfortable five-length victory in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder Race Course last weekend.
“He’s been on his toes all morning walking around the barn and looking absolutely great. I’m going back to Louisiana today, and he’ll van back to the Evangeline Training Center tomorrow where we’ll give him a little time off,” the winning handler said on
Sunday.
In the hands of R. Eramia, the 5-year-old faced no difficulty in crushing the opposition in the big event. He chased the pace off the rail, and subsequently railed to catch Artefacto at the eighth pole. Indiano, on the other hand, also did a fine job, as
he angled out for the stretch run, creating plenty of problems for the rivals.
However, despite an excellent run, he could not make any impression on the ultimate champion, who eventually bagged the first prize by five lengths. Close It Out managed to secure the third place on the table.
It was Gantry’s maiden graded victory and as a result, he booked his berth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, scheduled to take place at Santa Anita Park in November this year. The handler also confirmed that the Breeders’ Cup is going to be Gantry’s next
goal.
“We knew we wanted to get him here a little early to get him acclimated to the new surroundings and to make sure he liked the track. And then on race day, he performed the way we hoped he would. It’s great when a plan works to perfection. We’re going to
take things easy with him,” he added.
When asked whether Gantry will be given a run before the big challenge, the trainer explained that the gelding is due to have a prep run, but the venue has not been decided yet. Bred by D. J. Stable, the Black Swan Stable-owned has recorded seven victories
so far in his career.
The Breeders’ Cup will be Gantry’s Grade 1 debut, but Faucheux is quite hopeful for a positive outcome, especially after an outstanding triumph in the Smile Sprint Handicap.
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