Wanted: The Lone Star Gangster
Wanted: The Lone Star Gangster
Win Lose or Draw
Texas’ Rogue Youngster Is Hard On The Heels Of Sim’s Top Racers
By:D.Sparrow
New York bore witness to a little bay colt making only the faintest of ripples in the maiden pool earlier this year. Despite an impressive maiden race victory he was quickly dismissed as an every day three-year-old by the press and local horse owners. Today A few eyes have turned towards A.P. Gangster wondering if this little outlaw has what it takes to beat the Sim’s top horses at their own game.
In February, the bitter cold of the northern winter started to show in the little Texas bred colt. A.P. Gangster’s quarter length victory, won by a power house drive from the very back of the pack, was impressive but his morning warm ups seemed brittle and unfocused. The decision was made to bring him back down closer to home where he was soon entered into an allowance race against a measly field of five other three-year-olds. The only real competition was The Visitor, who had hit the board only three times prior. Gangster held back in third then leapt up to the lead in the last few furlongs like a pro. He easily won with more than a length to spare. After his second win his owner and trainer, RunAbout Stables, thought it best not to mess with a good thing and left him in Arizona to train for another month before entering him in another allowance.
Out of the box Gangster showed enthusiasm but seemed slightly off his regular. Trainers took note but did not feel the need to scratch him. In the gate he showed a docile side of a horse known to be a hellion in the start gate. The gate flashed open and all seemed normal with Gangster getting a slow start with even increasing power into the turn, but in the final furlongs were there should have been an explosion, there was nothing. Gangster cruised down the stretch passing a couple tired and faltering opponents, but never once kicked into gear despite his jockey’s vigorous persuasion. He crossed the wire at a miserable seventh from the winner and seemed as exhausted as if he had won by fifty lengths. Frustrated and let down the crew of RunAbout Stables returned to Texas to collect and compose themselves.
A month of experimentally training and a bit of extra rest resulted in a rejuvenated and fresh faced A.P. Gangster. With hope in their pockets they entered Gangster into the same distance, seven furlongs, allowance at his hope track and stopping ground. This would be the first time Texas was graced by Gangster as a competitive racer, but he knew this track well.
Out of the gate Gangster settled into his usual pattern of sleeping in the first half of the race in the back middle of the pack. In the fourth furlong the stomachs of RunAbout began to churn as a miniscule effort was made by Gangster to pass a single horse. Another furlong passed with out and moment, then in the last few seconds the bay colt fired up all cylinders to burn passed the pack and place just little more than a length behind the leader. Though he did not win, it was a sure sign that the few changes made by his trainers had brought their prodigy back up to his feet. Another month passed at training continued and Gangster slowly started to turn more and more into an adult racer than the stringy colt he had been. His muscling was far more refined and his time trial results were shortened almost daily. So when A.P. Gangster spent two months in Louisiana and left with an impressive win and a solid show a few weeks later at a great distance of eight lengths, RunAbout decided that the big leagues might be ready for their little outlaw.
A few extra weeks were given to more rest and some extra training before the RunAbout team hauled up to the blue Kentucky grass of America’s premier horse country for the Back To The Drawing Board Stakes. This nine furlong stakes race was pack with a field of both winner circle veterans and horses with equivalent careers to Gangster’s. The start proved to be no different than the one’s before. He was nearly comatose in the sixth position, a little less than seven lengths from the leader. His monster stride was the only thing keeping him up with the pace, but there was something different this time. Jockey, H. Head, would say later that, “The plan had been to do as had always been done and just to hold fast until passed to half mark, but the colt had other plans. He moved up on his own and I decided to go ahead and just flow with it and just keep him out of trouble. I was really up there just for show, it was all Gangster today.” The two slowly began to crawl up the ranks soon after the first few furlongs. They passed the competition even as the speed picked up down the back stretch and into the final turn. Gangster’s enormous stride was evident to even the most amateur racing enthusiast and it only gain in immensity and speed with every furlong. The field did not have a chance as one of the long shots shot straight passed them. The RunAbout stable stood in silent shock as everyone in the stadium rocketed out of their chairs. Gangster won his maiden race by a devastating four and a quarter lengths in front of veteran winners and triple digit racers. His top speed was a personal record of 110sp. The next best speed was the Kentucky bred son of Came Home, Nowhere Road, at 105sp. A.P. Gangster would return home a stakes champion on his first try, so it only seemed right to return to New York, where it all began, to see what this colt was truly capable of against some of the most talented colts and fillies in the sim.
The morning of the Traveler’s Stakes GI could not have been more perfect. The sky was just cloudy enough to provide plenty of light but eliminated the glare while the breezy was pleasant and the humidity was spot on. As The horses took to the track RunAbout was glad Gangster would never be aware of the names the announcer call, because he probably would have made a bit back to his stall. The formidable and once undefeated Passing Stone, the top ranked three year old Awesome Force, Bluegrass Derby Winner and top placing Triple Jewel racer Ataun, and the Texas Derby and Middle Jewel pace setter Apache Sunrise all line up for the gate, along with nine other top Kentucky bred colts.
A.P. Gangster loaded into his gate with a fit as usual and before he knew it his was ripping down the stretch with ten of the most challenging furlongs of his career ahead of him. He maintained mid pack placement and held for five furlongs. As Awesome Force and the talented Peppet fire up to catch the now leading Passing Stone, Gangster follows suit and begins to unfold his monster legs. He swung wide and tailgated both colts as the rest of the field faded away behind them. Passing Stone continued to pound the dirt into submission and crossed the wire first as Awesome Force and Peppet followed a couple lengths later. Gangster crossed two lengths behind Peppet to claim fourth place in one of the Sims richest and most acclaimed races. He out match the mighty Ataun and the threatening Apache Sunrise and kept pace with three of the sim’s top colt his own age. He may not have one, but fans and trainers alike consider this one of his best races to date.
A.P. Gangster, son of A.P. Valentine out of a Conquistador Cielo x Bold Ruler mare, has currently been in Florida at RunAbout’s master stable World Renowned Bad boy Stables since late August. It is unsure as to whether Gangster can be expected to enter into another GI or if GII and GIII will be the next step, but one thing is sure… if you race in the big leagues, be weary of the gangster.
– D.Sparrow
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