Gallant Son snaps losing streak in Inglewood

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Gallant Son may have found a permanent home on turf after his emphatic win in Sunday's at Hollywood Park.

After losing six consecutive races from April 2009 until earlier this month, including five on synthetic tracks, Gallant Son won the Inglewood by 1 3/4 lengths over Quindici Man. Glowing Praise finished third in the field of nine.

There were 11 horses entered, but morning-line favorite Compari was withdrawn because of an ankle problem Sunday morning, according to co-owner John Harris, and Monterey Jazz ran in Saturday's San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields.

Gallant Son ($8.20) ran 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:39.67 and had an ideal trip under jockey Mike Smith. Gallant Son was fourth or fifth for the first six furlongs, stalking Acclamation, Rummyssecret War, and Red Alert Day, who contributed to a quick pace of 22.64 and 45.42 seconds.

Smith guided Gallant Son wide on the turn and took the lead in early stretch.

"I was going to cut a corner, but I didn't want to get in a pickle," Smith said. "I kept him in the clear and he did the rest."

Quindici Man, a 29-1 shot, finished a half-length in front of Glowing Praise, a 21-1 shot. Acclamation, the 3-1 favorite, ran fourth, the best finish of the horses involved with the early pace.

Gallant Son was the subject of a significant early bet. He was 9-5 with 23 minutes to post, after being listed at 8-1 on the morning line.

Owned by Chris and Diane Randall and trained by Frank Lucarelli, Gallant Son, 4, has won 6 of 16 starts and $262,898. Gallant Son, who was seventh in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and 2009 Santa Anita Derby, may return in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on May 31.

"This kind of confirms that he's a notch above on the turf," Lucarelli said.