Gailo Chop

[Merlinsky]

https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/a...ers+&+Trainers

Pronounced "Gay-lo shop." He's pointing to the inaugural running of the Belmont Derby Invitational on July 5. Any thoughts on this horse? Found it amusing his connections recalled him as not initially being the brightest bulb. I'd wondered about how talented geldings dealt with the bar to their entering some of the Euro classics that were colts-only, but I don't follow Euro racing enough to go beyond considering it as a hypothetical. Were there any others that were notably left on the outside looking in because of their gelded status?

I'm sure I should've known about the Belmont Derby Invitational, but I didn't. It's 10 furlongs on turf. Any word on who else is pointing to it? I know we're a couple months out, but I thought maybe other Euros might've told Belmont Park they were interested, and perhaps some Americans with promising young turf horses (including some that might've tried the KY Derby trail unsuccessfully). I assume with a purse like that ($1.25 mil) they're hoping to get G1 status eventually.