Evangeline Downs: Gantry back in training

Gantry is back on the work tab at his Evangeline Downs Training Center base, and a fall return is possible for the Grade 2-winning sprinter, trainer Ron Faucheux said. Gantry has not raced since he finished second to Handsome Mike in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland on April 13. Last year, he won the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder Race Course.

Gantry breezed a half-mile in 52.06 seconds on Saturday. The move ranked 33rd of 42 at the distance. It was his third work back since July 20.

“We gave him two months off,” Faucheux said. “He’s doing very well. He hasn’t missed a beat.”

Faucheux, who trains Gantry for Brittlyn Stable, said the horse’s specific comeback schedule is to be determined.

“We don’t have a certain race on our radar,” he said. “We’ll have several once he gets ready, and see how they come up. We would like to have him back for Fair Grounds through the winter, but a start before that is a strong possibility.”

Fair Grounds opens its meet Nov. 22.

Gantry swept the Thanksgiving, Gaudin Memorial, and Duncan Kenner at Fair Grounds during the 2011-12 season, then ran second in those three races during the track’s most recent meet. A 6-year-old son of Pulpit, he has won 7 of 19 starts and $678,245 overall.