GALLOP OUTS

We review the strength or lack thereof of gallop outs following races going nine furlongs or more.

Not every good horse gallops out strongly past the wire, but a lot of good ones do. Todd Pletcher, a high-achieving trainer for many years, places emphasis on the gallop out. Others not so much. For example, 2024 Kentucky Derby winner and Ken McPeek trainee Mystik Dan did not gallop out strongly at all following his third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby, and we did not see that in his pre-Derby workouts.

Replays available on YouTube, even those produced by the host track, don't always give us a good look at gallop-outs. I watched replays on TwinSpires.com. Here is a link to replays at The Downey Profile.

Feb. 15 Risen Star, 1 1/8 Mile
Magnitude, whose career ended with this race, won big and galloped out well ahead of the others. The best of the rest in the gallop out were second finisher Chunk of Gold and fourth finisher Vassimo, the latter of whom is out of consideration for the Derby. They were beaten by Magnitude about 9 and 12 lengths, resppectively.

March 15 Virginia Derby, 1 1/8 Mile
It's a one-turn race. Winner American Promise, second finisher Render Judgment (who, like Mystik Dan, is trained by Ken McPeek) and Rapture (who is not a Derby contender) galloped out best.

March 22 Jeff Ruby Steaks, 1 1/8 Mile, Synthetic Track
Winner Flying Gambit galloped out much the best. Best of the rest were Maximum Promise and Poster, who are not Derby contenders. Second finisher Flying Mohawk did not gallop out strongly.

March 22 Louisiana Derby, 1 3/16 Mile
Five of the six top finishers galloped out pretty well. Built was the exception. Second finisher Chunk of Gold initially ran ahead of winner Tiztastic, whose ears pricked just past the finish line. Instant Replay, who is off the Derby Trail, then also ran by Tiztastic after finishing the race pretty well. John Hancock and Vassimo, both of whom are also out of consideration for the Derby, then ran by both Tiztastic and Chunk of Gold in the latter portion of the first turn.

March 29 Florida Derby, 1 1/8 Mile
Heading to the finish line, Sovereignty was closing on winner Tappan Street. After the wire those two initially galloped out together, Tappan Street gallloped beyond Sovereignty into the backstretch. Madaket Road, who led and faded to fourth, also galloped out into the backstretch. Third finisher Neoequos trailed the top two after the wire in the first turn and was the first to be turned around

March 29 Arkansas Derby, 1 1/8 Mile
Sandman, who closed in the stretch to win, galloped out far ahead of the others into the backstretch with his ears pricked despite the fact he finished the final three furlongs of the race in over 38 seconds. In my eyes he produced a superior gallop out. Neither second finisher Publisher nor third finisher Coal Battle are visible in the gallop out footage, but this could have been by design. Beaten favorite Cornucopian and Brereton's Baytown can be seen far behind Sandman.

April 5 Wood Memorial, 1 1/8 Mile
Rodriguez galloped out into the backstretch, pricking his ears as he ran out of the turn before Mike Smith pulled him up as an outrider joined them. It looked impressive. Grande and Passion Rules, the second and third finishers, can be seen galloping up beside Rodriguez to mid-turn at which time the camera angle changed to only capture Rodriguez. Trainer Pletcher later commented that Grande galloped out well.

April 5 UAE Derby
Fourth finisher Shin Forever galloped by winner Admire Daytona soon after the wire. Second-finisher-by-a-nose Heart of Honor, who lugged out before the wire, also ran by the winner soon after in an abbreviated showing of the gallop out.

April 5 Santa Anita Derby
Running through the first turn in the mdidle of the track, second finisher Baeza out-galloped Journalism by several lengths. Journalism was guided to the outer rail mid-turn and was turned around before Baeza. I looked back at Journalism's gallop out in the March 1 San Felipe at 1 1/16 mile, and he ran further into the turn in that one. Neither gallop out was spectacular, but this could have been by design.

April 8 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes
Winner Burnham Square galloped out well, a bit better than narrow second finisher and pacesetter East Avenue. The horse that was last coming out of the far turn, Admiral Dennis, finished pretty well to get fourth and was right there with Burnham Square well into the gallop out before Burnham Square eased on ahead. Third finisher River Thames trailed those three.