Noholdingback Bear in Gallant Bob Stakes

After twice settling for minor placings in graded stakes, Noholdingback Bear would not be denied in the $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes (gr. III), as he rallied four wide in the stretch to secure his first graded stakes victory in the sprint Sept. 24 at Parx Racing. 

Under the familiar handling of Eurico Rosa da Silva, Bear Stables' Noholdingback Bear rallied off the turn and surged clear in the stretch to register a 1 1/4-length victory over this year's Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II) winner Mind Your Biscuits, who also rallied outside late but didn't threaten the winner. Noholdingback Bear completed the six-furlong test for 3-year-olds in 1:09.61 on a fast track.

A two-time stakes winner going into Saturday's race for trainer Michael De Paulo, Noholdingback Bear entered off a third-place finish in the seven-furlong Ketel One King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 27 at Saratoga Race Course. Before that effort, the son of Put It Back had finished second in the Bold Venture Stakes (Can-III) on the all-weather surface at Woodbine.

Noholdingback Bear put it all together on Saturday, initially tracking from third as Navy Hymn found room along the inside to lead through a quarter-mile in :22.14 in search of his seventh win in his past eight starts. In the turn, though, da Silva opted to move a bit out of a crowd of early runners and Noholdinback Bear took it all in stride, settling comfortably in fifth.

Noholdingback Bear would soon rally between rivals and then move to the outside where he would continue to roll in the stretch, passing Awesome Speed and moving clear, not seriously threatened late.

"I got squeezed just a little bit, the horse outside me came in and closed the door," Da Silva said of moving off the pace early. "But it worked out well because my horse is very relaxed and an easy horse to ride. I just waited for the stretch and had a lot of horse all the way. He recovered very nicely, he did everything very professional. Last time, seven-eighths was not his distance, but at three-quarters I can press any horse with him."

Noholdingback Bear returned $8.20, $4.40, and $3 across the board, while Mind Your Biscuits paid $6.80 and $4.40. Threefiveindia, inside in the stretch, held third and paid $3.60 to show while earning the first black-type of his career.

"He broke pretty good and they ran away from him a little early, and Eurico sat off the pace, went a little wide and ran them down," De Paulo said. "In the King's Bishop, seven-eighths was a little far for him; six-, 6 1/2-furlongs is perfect for him. I think right now, he is a better, stronger horse. We are looking to going to the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) if we can."

Bred in Kentucky by Jerry Jamgotchian, Noholdingback Bear is the first stakes winner out of winning Elusive Quality   mare Pleasant Quality, who has produced three other winners. Bear Stables purchased Noholdingback Bear as a short yearling for $25,000 at the 2014 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale where he was consigned by Denali Stud, agent.