Late blooming King Jack breaks out with Gallant Bob Stakes win

King Jack, a late bloomer for the Jerry Hollendorfer stable, became a stakes winner Saturday when rolling to a facile victory in Parx Racing’s Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bob.

The 3-year-old son of Jimmy Creed took measure of fellow California shipper Landeskog off the turn, then drove by to complete six furlongs in a final time of 1:08 4/5. King Jack paid $4.80 to win.

Joel Rosario rode the chestnut, who broke his maiden on debut in June at Santa Anita, won a Del Mar allowance and then was defeated in his third start by Pennsylvania Derby (G1) favorite Improbable in the one-mile Shared Belief Stakes.

Cutting back a quarter of the mile did the colt some good here as he took an outside, stalking trip behind the dueling longshot Strong Will and Landeskog, who set opening fractions of 21 4/5 seconds for the quarter mile and 44 3/5 for the half.

"We didn't know where he was going to be sitting, but we knew that he had tactical speed," Hollendorfer said of the early going. "Joel thought there was some speed inside of him and that happened to be true. We were sitting in a good spot."

Strong Will dropped out through the turn, setting up a stretch battle that wasn’t much of a fight. King Jack, looking like one to watch should he go on to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint or Dirt Mile, coasted by as the 7-5 favorite.

Immediately following the race, Hollendorfer told TVG he wasn't sure of King Jack's next assignment.

"I don't know yet, I'm just happy to get this one out of the way," Hollendorfer said. "But we do like to think those kinds of thoughts with a good horse, so we'll see."

Bethlehem Road, a local stakes winner, flipped in the gate, and Get Hammered also scratched late, delaying the start and leaving a field of seven that included Bulletin, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner who didn’t appear to take well to the main track.