Parx: Indiano looks at the top of his game

It took Indiano a little while to figure out what U.S. racing was all about. Now that he has, Indiano has proven to be unbeatable.

Indiano will be heavily favored to win his fourth consecutive stakes race Saturday when he takes on six opponents in the $250,000 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx Racing. The Gallant Bob, run at six furlongs, is restricted to 3-year-olds.

Indiano was unbeaten in Panama, winning all five of his starts by a combined 30 lengths. He came to the Florida-based trainer Marty Wolfson in late February and finished second in an allowance race at Gulfstream and second to Travelin Man in the Grade 2 Swale before running fifth in the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs.

“I only had him for three weeks when we ran him the first time,” Wolfson said. “They wanted to see what they had. It really takes them awhile to acclimate. After I brought him back from Churchill, he really stated to come around and change.”

Indiano has reeled off three consecutive wins at Calder, taking the Unbridled Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths, the Grade 2 Carry Back by three lengths and, after a two-month layoff, the $50,000 Eillo Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths. Wolfson said Indiano overcame “a lot of trouble” to win the Eillo.

Indiano, who will break from post 2 under Luis Saez and 122 pounds, is a stalker and should have plenty of speed to sit off in the Gallant Bob. He’s Speightful, Royal Currier, and Poseidon’s Warrior all figure to show early speed.

Indiano is 5 for 5 over a wet track, which could come into play on Saturday.

“He loves a wet track,” Wolfson said. “He’s unbelievable on it.”

Wine Police figures to go off the second choice. A son of Speightstown, Wine Police has won 3 of 5 starts, including an overnight stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 2, in which he dropped back to last yet rallied to win.

“Everything didn’t quite go his way. He dropped back, he made up ground into the dirt at Saratoga, which is not always easy to do,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. “He had to work for it. I thought he showed a lot of acceleration. It’s a good race, I think the horse has got some class.”

Poseidon’s Warrior is 2 for 3 at Parx and may have found the company a bit too tough when he ran sixth in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop. Deputy Fling tries dirt for the first time after winning 3 of 5 starts sprinting on turf.

◗ Gunfigher, third in the Charlie Hess Handicap at Monmouth last Saturday, heads a field of seven entered in Saturday’s $75,000 Roanoke Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds going 1 1/16 miles. Garrett Gomez rides for trainer Steve Klesaris.

There appears to be a lot of speed in this field which could set things up for longshots Layers or Smalltownman.

Dapper Devil, Royal Clash and Winchill complete the field.