Green Gratto might swing back in General George

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Green Gratto may have lost a race, but if you listen to his connections, he hasn’t lost any energy.

That’s why owner and trainer Gaston Grant is taking a serious look at wheeling Green Gratto back in the Grade 3, $250,000 General George Handicap at Laurel Park on Feb. 15.

Green Gratto finished third in the Grade 3 Toboggan last Saturday, setting the pace before being run down by Sassicaia and Mewannarose. Green Gratto was defeated by only three-quarters of a length.

“I thought he was going to throw it in at the eighth pole, but he kept on fighting down to the line,” Grant said. “He’s pretty gutsy.”

After four days off, Green Gratto returned to the track Thursday, jogging once around Aqueduct’s inner track.

“Looks like he’s ready to rock and roll again,” Grant said. “We’ll see where he goes from here, but we’ll definitely try to make that race in Laurel.”

Green Gratto, who has raced 33 times in the last 26 months, is only 1 for 5 at seven furlongs, the distance of the General George. But he did finish second in the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct last April, won an optional claimer at Belmont in June, and was beaten a neck in a Saratoga allowance at that distance.

“Seven-eighths should be no problem,” Grant said. “We’re going to watch him keenly and see what he says. If we decide to go, we’ll probably ship a couple of days early just to get him relaxed a little.”

Green Gratto has made 35 of his 38 starts in New York. His other three starts have come at Monmouth Park.