Undefeated Ganglord Takes Opening Equinics Race

Vaulting all the way in the rankings to number two among three year old turf sprinters, Ganglord took a rail-hugging path on Saturday to capture the Grade I Eric Guerin Stakes, the Italian opening race in the Equinics.

Never far back, the Simsters6 trained daughter of Devil’s Bag improved her record to three wins in three starts, all stakes races, though the previous two were not nearly as important as this race with its graded ranking and million dollar purse.

“I had a lot of horse under me today,” said jockey T Small, “It didn’t matter to her if the grass was hard or soft, or if the race was six furlongs or a mile and a half, she was going to win.”

The soft turf and a pace battle may have softened up the two fillies running one-two for much of the race.  Crossland Drive had owned the top speed figure coming into the race and had earned it on a wet grass surface, but when she got into it with top rated Super Gold and could not shake her, the pair faded to fourth and fifth.

Oostende3’s Brundle Hollandia took an outside rally to finish second.  She may have been running fastest of all at the end.

HeyThere’s Impossible Project also got by the early runners to complete a trifecta that paid $6,162.60.

Favored Prabha was unable to overcome her outside post in this 19 horse field and after hustling to early contention faded to eighth.