Gallant Bob (USA)
May 5, 1972 – 1990
Gallant Romeo (USA) x Wisp O’Will (USA), by New Policy (USA)
Family 2-p
May 5, 1972 – 1990
Gallant Romeo (USA) x Wisp O’Will (USA), by New Policy (USA)
Family 2-p
A hero of the Mid-Atlantic region, Gallant Bob may not have been the fastest sprinter in the country as a 3-year-old, but he was certainly the most consistent. He ran 18 times at 3 and won 14 times, all in stakes races and frequently by large margins, with three stakes placings to his credit as well. He started well at 4, but after a track record-equaling performance in the Phoenix Handicap at Keeneland in April, he seemed to lose a step and went to the sidelines after two more races. He returned two and a half months later but was never the same again and did not win in stakes company after his 4-year-old season, though he raced through age 7.
Race record
76 starts, 23 wins, 11 seconds, 8 thirds, US$489,993
1974:
1975:
1976:
1977:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1974, 12 pounds below champion Foolish Pleasure.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1975, 1 pound above Century’s Envoy, Christopher R., and Honorable Miss.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1976, 8 pounds below official divisional champion My Juliet (a 4-year-old filly) and co-highweight Christopher R.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1977, 11 pounds below divisional champion What a Summer (a 4-year-old filly).
As an individual
A blocky bay gelding with a powerful rear end and a downhill build, Gallant Bob was indifferent as to surface but did not stay more than 7 furlongs. He was gelded “for medical reasons” according to a story by Gene Paluzzi in the August 27, 1975, edition of the Sayre Evening Times. He typically broke sharply but did not have to have the early lead to be effective.
Connections
Bred in Kentucky by J. L. Homan, Gallant Bob sold for US$2,000 as a weanling. He was owned by Robert Horton. He was trained by Joe Marquette through March 1979, then moved to the barn of Michael Smithwick, who tried him in a maiden steeplechase; Gallant Bob fell, and the experiment was not repeated. For the final five races of his career, Gallant Bob was trained by Floyd Toile. He was ridden by Gerland Gallitano throughout his championship season. Gallant Bob died as a pensioner at Horton’s farm near Athens, Pennsylvania, in 1990.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the fine sprinter Gallant Romeo (a son of Gallant Man), Gallant Bob is inbred 4x4 to 1936 Derby Stakes winner Mahmoud, a champion sire and broodmare sire in the United States. He is also inbred 5x5x5 to the important broodmare Mah Mahal and 5x5 to another important mare, Plucky Liege. He is a half brother to listed stakes winners Lucky Legend (by Secretariat) and Louisiana Slew (by Seattle Slew) and to multiple juvenile stakes winner Table Policy (by Mr. Pow Wow), dam of restricted stakes winner Avies Covergirl (by Avies Copy). He is also a half brother to stakes-placed Maggie O’Shea (by Scout Leader), second dam of 2002 Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mandy’s Gold.
Gallant Bob and his siblings are out of Wisp O’Will (by the good California stakes winner New Policy, by Khaled), a winning full sister to juvenile stakes winner Four Fingers and a half sister to Grade 1-placed juvenile stakes winner Willow Drive (by Inverness Drive). Wisp O’ Will is also a half sister to Miss Lurleane (by Tobin Bronze), third dam of 2014 Jamaican champion sprinter Potcheen.
Wisp O’Will, in turn, is out of Miss Willow (by Oil Capitol), a half sister to 1969 Ak-Sar-Ben Cornhusker Handicap winner Vale of Tears (by Royal Vale). Produced from the Bull Dog mare Pussy Willow, Miss Willow is also a half sister to Willow Crest (by Ambiorix), dam of multiple stakes winner Rockey’s Crest (by Aliheim).
Fun facts
Last updated: February 8, 2022
Race record
76 starts, 23 wins, 11 seconds, 8 thirds, US$489,993
1974:
- Won Marlboro Nursery Handicap (USA, 7FD, Bowie)
- 2nd Kindergarten Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Liberty Bell)
- 2nd Autumn Harvest Handicap (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
1975:
- Won Patriot Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Keystone Park)
- Won Fairmount Park Stakes (USA, 6FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Sentinel Stakes (USA, 6FD, Keystone Park)
- Won Flintlock Stakes (USA, 6FD, Keystone Park)
- Won Olympia Stakes (USA, 7FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Squires Handicap (USA, 6FD, Keystone Park)
- Won Annapolis Handicap (USA, 6FD, Bowie)
- Won Sword Dancer Handicap (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Penn Treaty Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Keystone Park)
- Won Philmont Handicap (USA, 7FD, Keystone Park)
- Won Kelso Handicap (USA, 6FD, Delaware Park)
- Won W. P. Burch Stakes (USA, 6FD, Bowie)
- Won Select Handicap (USA, 6FD, Monmouth)
- Won Zev Stakes (USA, 6FD, Garden State)
- 2nd Hirsch Jacobs Stakes (USA, 6FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Swift Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Bay Shore Stakes (second divisionv) (USA-G3, 7FD, Aqueduct)
1976:
- Won Paumonok Handicap (USA-G3, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Phoenix Handicap (USA, 6FD, Keeneland; equaled track record 1:08-2/5)
- 2nd J. Edgar Hoover Handicap (USA, 6FD, Pimlico)
- 3rd Gravesend Handicap (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Toboggan Handicap (USA, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Bensalem Handicap (USA, 6FD, Keystone Park)
1977:
- 2nd Independence Handicap (USA, 7FD, Keystone Park)
- 3rd Carter Handicap (second division) (USA-G2, 7FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Terrapin Handicap (USA, 6FD, Bowie)
Honors
- Parx Hall of Fame (inducted in 2012)
- Eclipse Award, American champion sprinter (1975)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1974, 12 pounds below champion Foolish Pleasure.
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1975, 1 pound above Century’s Envoy, Christopher R., and Honorable Miss.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1976, 8 pounds below official divisional champion My Juliet (a 4-year-old filly) and co-highweight Christopher R.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American sprinters of 1977, 11 pounds below divisional champion What a Summer (a 4-year-old filly).
As an individual
A blocky bay gelding with a powerful rear end and a downhill build, Gallant Bob was indifferent as to surface but did not stay more than 7 furlongs. He was gelded “for medical reasons” according to a story by Gene Paluzzi in the August 27, 1975, edition of the Sayre Evening Times. He typically broke sharply but did not have to have the early lead to be effective.
Connections
Bred in Kentucky by J. L. Homan, Gallant Bob sold for US$2,000 as a weanling. He was owned by Robert Horton. He was trained by Joe Marquette through March 1979, then moved to the barn of Michael Smithwick, who tried him in a maiden steeplechase; Gallant Bob fell, and the experiment was not repeated. For the final five races of his career, Gallant Bob was trained by Floyd Toile. He was ridden by Gerland Gallitano throughout his championship season. Gallant Bob died as a pensioner at Horton’s farm near Athens, Pennsylvania, in 1990.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the fine sprinter Gallant Romeo (a son of Gallant Man), Gallant Bob is inbred 4x4 to 1936 Derby Stakes winner Mahmoud, a champion sire and broodmare sire in the United States. He is also inbred 5x5x5 to the important broodmare Mah Mahal and 5x5 to another important mare, Plucky Liege. He is a half brother to listed stakes winners Lucky Legend (by Secretariat) and Louisiana Slew (by Seattle Slew) and to multiple juvenile stakes winner Table Policy (by Mr. Pow Wow), dam of restricted stakes winner Avies Covergirl (by Avies Copy). He is also a half brother to stakes-placed Maggie O’Shea (by Scout Leader), second dam of 2002 Ruffian Handicap (USA-G1) winner Mandy’s Gold.
Gallant Bob and his siblings are out of Wisp O’Will (by the good California stakes winner New Policy, by Khaled), a winning full sister to juvenile stakes winner Four Fingers and a half sister to Grade 1-placed juvenile stakes winner Willow Drive (by Inverness Drive). Wisp O’ Will is also a half sister to Miss Lurleane (by Tobin Bronze), third dam of 2014 Jamaican champion sprinter Potcheen.
Wisp O’Will, in turn, is out of Miss Willow (by Oil Capitol), a half sister to 1969 Ak-Sar-Ben Cornhusker Handicap winner Vale of Tears (by Royal Vale). Produced from the Bull Dog mare Pussy Willow, Miss Willow is also a half sister to Willow Crest (by Ambiorix), dam of multiple stakes winner Rockey’s Crest (by Aliheim).
Fun facts
- Gallant Bob was the first Pennsylvania-based horse to win an Eclipse Award. As such, he is honored by a sprint stakes for 3-year-olds at Parx Racing.
- Gallant Bob was only the third American horse to win as many as 14 stakes races in a calendar year. He was preceded by Hamburg, who won 19 stakes events in 1887, and Citation, who won 16 stakes races in 1948. He accomplished the feat in spite of a seven-week layoff beginning on October 11, 1975, when he somersaulted over the inside rail during training; prior to his fall, he had won 11 stakes.
- Gallant Bob began his racing career in a US$12,000 maiden claimer. He won easily and was not risked again.
Last updated: February 8, 2022