Gargan feeling at home at Keeneland spring meet

LEXINGTON, Ky. – When Fuel the Bern goes postward as one of the favorites in the last race Friday, trainer Danny Gargan hopes the 5-year-old horse will be the first of many winners this spring in his native Kentucky.

Gargan enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2018 when based primarily in New York, winning 56 races and nearly $2.7 million in purses. He now has a division of 24 horses at Keeneland.

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“I’ll have 32 at Keeneland after the Derby,” said Gargan, 46. “I’ll keep everything there until we leave for Saratoga” in July.

Gargan has remained in New York this week ahead of saddling Tax as a Derby hopeful in the Wood Memorial on Saturday.

West Coast well represented

It doesn’t exactly qualify as a mass exodus, but California trainers will be well represented over the next month in Kentucky, perhaps partly because of the well publicized problems that are ongoing at Santa Anita.

Among the trainers expected to have starters during the first week of this meet or who have reserved stalls at Keeneland are Jeff Mullins, Richard Baltas, Phil D’Amato, Scott Hansen, Peter Miller, Jerry Hollendorfer, Bob Hess Jr., Doug O’Neill, Ron Ellis, Paulo Lobo, and Mick Ruis. Lobo and Ruis have moved their entire stables to Kentucky.