Bentornato Seeking First 2024 Win in Gallant Bob

Bentornato , making just his second start since the Feb. 24 Saudi Derby (G3), looks for his first win of the year in the Gallant Bob Stakes (G2) Sept. 21 at Parx Racing. 

The son of Valiant Minister   finished 1 1/2 lengths back in second in the Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races Aug. 23. Prior to that, the colt was a distant third in the Saudi Derby.

Those races were at seven furlongs and a mile, respectively. Now he cuts back in distance—the Gallant Bob is run over six furlongs. At that distance, the colt has had success. The Jose Francisco D'Angelo trainee won twice at the distance at Gulfstream Park last year. He took the Proud Man Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths, followed by a 7 1/2-length romp against other Florida-bred colts and geldings in the FTBOA Florida Sire Dr. Fager Stakes.

Bentornato typically isn't a front-runner; only once has he gone gate to wire. Even in his impressive Dr. Fager triumph, he had to overcome a challenger before pulling away. The key for him is staying close to the front and finding the right opportunities. 

With Irad Ortiz Jr., the top-earning jockey in North America this year, in the irons for the second consecutive race, Bentornato is in good hands. Ortiz won this race aboard Firenze Fire  in 2018.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. brings a pair of Florida-breds, of which there are five in the field of eight, to challenge for the $400,000 purse. 

Daniel Alonso's One Sharp Cookie  hasn't finished worse than third (3-3-2 from nine starts) since his maiden trip last November. He's won two in a row and three of last four. He's had only one start at six furlongs, his maiden in which he faded down the stretch. Perhaps experience, a new track—he's run only at Gulfstream—and Mike Smith in the irons will prove advantageous. 

Joseph's other trainee is Practically Dark , a Practical Joke   gelding who hopes to bounce back after being a nonfactor in the Salvatore M. DeBunda Sprint Stakes, which was run over 6 1/2 furlongs at Parx Aug. 24. The one-two finishers in that race, Buccherino  and Maximus Meridius , return to the Parx dirt Saturday. 

Buccherino went gate-to-wire in the DeBunda, outclassing the field by more than six lengths. He's perfect at Parx, going 3-for-3. The son of Bucchero   broke his maiden there and opened his 3-year-old campaign with an allowance win. Trainer Alfredo Velazquez hopes the Gallant Bob will get the colt owned by Happy Tenth Stable his first win at the distance after four previous attempts.

The hope is Maximus Meridius has regained the form that saw him hit the board in his five of his first six starts before back-to-back eighths prior to the DeBunda.