Sleepy Hollow S. winner GALLOPING GROCER (A. P Jet), who ended his
juvenile season with a close neck runner-up decision to the undefeated Rockport
Harbor (Unbridled’s Song) in the Remsen S. (G2), breezed six furlongs in 1:15
1/5 over the fast dirt training track at Belmont Park on Saturday. The chestnut
is preparing for his sophomore debut in the $75,000 Whirlaway S. next Saturday
going 1 1/16 miles on Aqueduct’s inner track.
“He went very even,” trainer Dominick Schettino said. “We gave him an easy
three-quarters. He’s training fine and doing well. We scoped him after because
lung infections can be common in the winter and he scoped clean.”
Galloping Grocer scored by easy lengths in his first three career starts and
suffered his first defeat in the Remsen after pressuring Rockport Harbor for
much of that nine-furlong test. Schettino gave him a month off after the November 27 event. The gelding recorded his fourth work since the break on
Saturday, but deviated from his previous two moves by working alone.
“When we put him in company, he’s much more aggressive,” Schettino said. “In
the race, I don’t want him geared up off the layoff. I want him to be able to
break and settle.”
Regular rider John Velazquez will not be able to pilot Galloping Grocer in
the Whirlaway, but Schettino said a new jockey should be picked out by early next
week.