Gullo barn red-hot amid cold weather

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – A winter of discontent for most horsemen in New York has been far less so for trainer Gary Gullo, who is enjoying arguably one of the best meets of his career through the first two months of Aqueduct’s winter season.

Through Sunday, Gullo had recorded 12 wins from 36 starters since the inner track opened Dec. 3, placing him third in the standings behind David Jacobson (20 wins) and Linda Rice (16). Gullo’s .333 winning percentage is the highest among trainers with 20 or more starters.

“Right now, they’re running good,” Gullo said Sunday at Belmont Park. “When is it going to stop? I don’t know.”

Gullo has won with 11 of his last 27 runners, including Mr. Rico is Valid, who won a $12,500 claiming race Sunday. That horse, along with six others he has sent out at the meet, was claimed. Gullo himself has made nine claims at the meet, helping him maintain a string that numbers around 30.

The wins have helped Gullo as he bears witness to what has been a terrible winter at Aqueduct. There have been 14 equine fatalities, which have triggered a host of new rules and protocols instituted by management. Some of those protocols weren’t properly followed, which led to a bevy of scratches on Jan. 25 and 28, creating ugly-looking cards.

Further, winter weather and caution related to preventing further fatalities and injuries prompted Aqueduct to cancel eight times in January.

“Winning helps to deal with the frustrations of canceling and the frustrations of horses getting hurt and nobody really knowing which way it’s going,” Gullo said.

Gullo hopes to continue winning Wednesday when he sends out two runners on the eight-race program. In the fifth, a maiden race for 3-year-old fillies, he runs Non Finisce Mai, who finished second in her debut Nov. 23 after getting away poorly.

“I like her. I think she’s a nice filly, but I heard Bruce Brown’s filly is very good,” said Gullo, referring to the first-time starter Lakeside Sunset.

In the eighth, a $12,500 claimer for fillies and mares, Gullo has Discreet Force, who is stepping up off a 10-length victory in a $10,000 claiming race Dec. 14. Gullo likes his chances with this 5-year-old mare, who is 2 for 2 over the inner track.

“I think she should be better than those other horses,” Gullo said.

Gullo said having a viable winter product in New York is important not to just him but to his brethren who try to make a living year-round here. Though none of his horses have suffered injuries, Gullo believes there is an issue with the racetrack, and it needs to be addressed.

“I think they should have winter racing. I think they need to get the racetrack straightened out – that’s just my opinion,” he said. “I think once this racetrack is straightened out, they can try to recruit trainers. They need to step up and try to entice the right people to come here to race their horses, and I think you’ll have better-quality racing.”