Gold and Roses gobbles up 'Grocer'

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Gold and Roses blew by Galloping Grocer, the even-money favorite, in upper stretch to win the $250,000 by 6 3/4 lengths at Saratoga on Wednesday.

Galloping Grocer finished second in the 1 1/8 mile race for the progeny of New York stallions. It was another 4 3/4 lengths back to Western Galaxy in third and an additional 9 3/4 lengths back to Organizer in fourth. Meniscus, Twooutsintheninth, and Breeze On completed the order of finish.

Lively early fractions cooked Galloping Grocer, who was keen to make the lead under jockey John Velazquez. Making his first start since finishing 13th in the Preakness, Galloping Grocer sped through fractions of 22.83 seconds, 46.61, and 1:11.66. Edgar Prado, riding Gold and Roses, kept the pressure on the pacesetter while racing on the outside. Gold and Roses turned up the heat turning into the stretch and drew off.

"I put a little pressure on him and then some more," said Prado, who won the Cab Calloway last year aboard Chowder's First.

Gold and Roses ($5.50) covered the distance in 1:53.09 over a sealed and sloppy track. Heavy showers hit Saratoga midway through the card, which drew a crowd of 16,912.

Velazquez said Galloping Grocer, who suffered his sixth loss in as many starts this year, "just got tired."

Tom Bush, who trains Gold and Roses for Henry C. Gregory, will run the gelding next in the $150,000 Albany on Aug. 24. The Albany is the third leg of OTBs' Big Apple Triple for New York-breds. Gold and Roses finished sixth in the Mike Lee, the first leg at Belmont, and second in the middle leg, the New York Derby at Finger lakes.

"I know we've been running close between races all over different tracks, but they are only 3-year-old New York-breds once."