By J.N. Campbell
For a mere 50 cents if you had the gumption to exclude heavy favorite Barnes (Into Mischief) from your Trifecta tickets in the GII Gallant Bob Stakes at Park on Saturday and called cold longshots 23-1 Mad House (Vekoma), 83-1 Gateskeeper (Instagrand) and 56-1 Fire Pit (Cairo Prince), then your play would have netted $3,889.50. Kaboom!
Mad House came into his first graded opportunity here after three straight visits to the winner's circle at Canterbury in Minnesota. The broke his maiden at fifth asking by an eye-catching 11 1/2 lengths June 29, cleared an allowance condition July 23 and scored in an optional claimer by 8 1/4 lengths Aug. 23–all were gate to wire performances.
Facing $3.2-million buy Barnes who was bet down to 40 cents on the dollar here, Mad House went right back to his playbook and attempted to run the field off its feet at the bell. The gelding was aggressively handled by Paco Lopez and able to make the front despite a challenge from Fire Pit up the backstretch. Meanwhile, Barnes appeared sluggish, despite his jockey Tyler Gaffalione's urging from the rear of the field.
Mad House continued to carve out the fractions through the far turn and the chestnut increased his advantage over Fire Pit entering the lane. In the end, no one could get to the leader as he netted his first graded victory. Barnes tried valiantly to hit the board, but fell short and finished fourth.
“The meet at Canterbury was coming to a close so we looked for a 3-year-old stakes race that he could fit in and we found this one,” said trainer David VanWinkle. “Even if we got a piece of it, I would have been happy. Paco [Lopez] did a job riding him. He did exactly what we told him. I said he runs better if he can make the lead and he said, 'We can do that.'”
Pedigree Notes:
The red-hot second-crop sire Vekoma (by Candy Ride {Arg}) continues to turn out graded stakes winners–his tally now sits at six and includes the likes of Five G and Jonathan's Way who is headed to stud duty.
Since Mad House's foaling, Stifled Heiress was bred to Leinster four consecutive times, which has yielded a current yearling colt and a weanling one. The winner's extended female family includes second dam SW Wildcat Heiress (Wildcat Heir) and SW Slider (Jimmy Creed).
🤬 🏡 MAD HOUSE ($49.00) sprung a huge upset in the $400,000 Gallant Bob Stakes (G2) at @parxracing. David VanWinkle had the son of @spendthriftfarm's Vekoma ready to fire today under @Pacolopez1018. Congrats to owner James Thares!
The Cotillion is next: https://t.co/IpqG2hK6xt pic.twitter.com/nd353Lx19g
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 20, 2025
Saturday, Parx Racing
GALLANT BOB S.-GII, $400,000, Parx Racing, 9-20, 3yo, 6f, 1:08.77, ft.
1–MAD HOUSE, 120, g, 3, by Vekoma
1st Dam: Stifled Heiress, by Munnings
2nd Dam: Wildcat Heiress, by Wildcat Heir
3rd Dam: Saramy, by Personal Hope
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($47,000
2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-James Thares; B-Jean White, Wavertree
Farm & SGV Thoroughbreds,LLC (FL); T-David VanWinkle;
J-Paco Lopez. $217,500. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-1, $281,815.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gateskeeper, 122, c, 3, Instagrand–Tenation, by Distorted
Humor. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($50,000
Ylg '23 KEESEP; $36,000 2yo '24 FTDAUG). O-Gervais Racing
LLC; B-Jeff Little (KY); T-S. Jade Cunningham. $72,500.
3–Fire Pit, 120, c, 3, Cairo Prince–True Martha, by Creative
Cause. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($13,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV;
$35,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-Travin Stables; B-Brereton C.
Jones (KY); T-Guadalupe Preciado. $36,250.
Margins: 2 3/4, HF, HF. Odds: 23.50, 83.90, 56.60.
Also Ran: Barnes, Retribution, Neoequos, Wax Box, Alchemism, Donut God, Friday Surprise. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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