King Jack gets back to sprinting in Gallant Bob

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer thought enough of King Jack to consider shipping him cross-country for the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens last month at Saratoga. Hollendorfer called an audible and kept the colt home in California for the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar where he finished second to Improbable.

Saturday, about an hour before Improbable runs as the possible favorite in the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at 1 1/8 miles, King Jack will start as the likely favorite in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes going six furlongs at Parx.

King Jack, a son of Jimmy Creed, won his first two starts, both sprinting. When Grade 1 winner Omaha Beach was forced to miss the Shared Belief, Hollendorfer decided to try and stretch King Jack out around two turns in that one-mile race.

“That track was playing to speed that day and he got too far behind,” Hollendorfer said of King Jack’s 2 3/4-length loss to Improbable.

There is plenty of speed in the Gallant Bob. King Jack came from slightly off the pace to win his debut going six furlongs at Santa Anita before winning a first-level allowance on the lead at Del Mar.

“I’m not sure what our strategy will be,” Hollendorfer said. “We’re very fast if we want to be.”

Joel Rosario rides King Jack from post 7 in the nine-horse field.

Bulletin was very fast on turf last year, winning his first three starts, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. He is winless in two starts this year, and without any turf options for 3-year-olds, trainer Todd Pletcher chose this spot for Bulletin’s dirt debut.

“He’s always trained well enough on the dirt to give it a try at some point,” Pletcher said.

Mike Smith rides Bulletin from the outside post in this nine-horse field.

Landeskog, trained by Doug O’Neill, comes off a 4 3/4-length allowance win at Del Mar on Aug. 4.

Strong Will, a son of Strong Mandate trained by Larry Rivelli for Carolyn Wilson, is 2 for 2 at six furlongs including an 8 3/4-length victory on Aug. 6 at Mountaineer.

Coal Front tops Dirt Mile

Coal Front, who won the 2017 Gallant Bob here, will be the horse to beat in the $150,000 Parx Dirt Mile.

Coal Front began the year with three consecutive victories, including the Grade 2 Godolphin Mile in Dubai in March. He finished seventh in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap while part of a torrid early pace. He then finished third, beaten 12 lengths, as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on the Haskell undercard on July 20.

“He’s fine around two turns,” Pletcher said. “He didn’t fire in the Monmouth Cup, but I think that was because of the [hot] conditions of the day.”

The Dirt Mile drew eight but not all will run. Monongahela and Golden Brown were cross entered in other races. Trainer Jason Servis indicated Monongahela will run in Saturday’s Kelso at Belmont. Trainer Pat McBurney has Golden Brown entered in a turf race at Laurel as well as the Kelso in New York. As of Thursday, he had not decided where Golden Brown would run, though the fact he has Paco Lopez to ride him at Parx makes this race attractive, McBurney said.

Grasshoppin, Forewarned, Bonus Points, Wild About Deb, and Diamond King complete the field.

◗ Colts Neck Stable and trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. have a complementary entry of Boos and Goldwood entered in the $150,000 Turf Amazon at five furlongs.

Goldwood, who has won four straight sprint stakes at Monmouth, has speed, while Boos, who is only 3 for 20 in her career, comes from off the pace.

This field includes Enthusiastic Gal, who would benefit from a hot early pace.

Earlier on this card, Get Set, a son of Enthusiastic Gal, is scheduled to run in a maiden race. Enthusiastic Gal was bred and had foal while she was recovering from a bowed tendon.

◗ The 8-year-old Pumpkin Rumble, a Pennsylvania-bred based in Canada, makes his first start at Parx in the $100,000 Alphabet Soup Handicap for statebreds going 1 1/16 miles on turf. Pumpkin Rumble won the Group 3 Valedictory Stakes last December at 1 3/4 miles. He has won at 1 1/16 miles, albeit on synthetic.

Sweet Bye and Bye won four straight races last summer, including two starts over the Parx turf course.

My Friend Frank brings a four-race win streak for Penn National-based trainer Erin McClellan.

◗ Imply, who has won all four of her starts this year, seeks a repeat victory in the $100,000 Plum Pretty Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares.

Imply, trained by Bernard Houghton, won last year’s Plum Pretty by four lengths. All four of her victories this year have come over turf or synthetic surfaces.