Gallagher Goes for the Pot of Gold on Sunday

If all goes well Sunday at Hollywood Park, Paddy Gallagher will have the biggest day of his training life.

The Irish-born Gallagher, 48, has prime contenders in two of the Grade I stakes races on the card: McCann’s Mojave in the $350,000 Triple Bend Breeders’ Cup Handicap and Three Degrees in the afternoon’s main event, the $750,000 American Oaks.

A former assistant to John Sullivan and the late Bill Shoemaker, Gallagher has had numerous stakes victories during his solo career, but he has yet to win a Grade I.

“Of course, it would be nice,” said Gallagher, who always seems to be smiling. “I like to win anything. I wish the races were today. We’ll just have to play it by ear and make sure we get there. I hope they both show up and run well.”

Given how Three Degrees has performed in her four races in the U.S., that shouldn’t be a problem for the 3-year-old daughter of Singspiel.

Purchased on the recommendation of bloodstock agent Richard Duggan, Three Degrees, a good-looking gray, is a nose from being perfect in California. She won two sprints down the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, stretched out to a mile and lost by inches to longshot Virden in the Senorita in her Hollywood Park debut May 8, then returned to win the Honeymoon Breeders’ Cup Handicap at 1 1/8 miles June 5.

Her pedigree suggests 1 1/4 miles, the distance of the American Oaks, shouldn’t pose a problem.

The Irish-bred has come a long way from a filly who was third and second against maidens in her two races in England.

“I just liked her, it was as simple as that,” Duggan said. “She had all her conditions, and, in her second race, she ran with a nice colt named Real Quality, who was a pretty good horse last year. She had tremendous upside because of her pedigree.”

After watching tapes of her English races, Gallagher also was impressed, and she was purchased by a partnership that includes Dick Bonnycastle, who races as Harlequin Ranches, Mary DiPietro, Braden Huenefeld, Michael Rosenmayer and Aron Wellman.

“I have to give credit where credit is due,” said Wellman, whose family has been involved in racing for a number of years and was extremely close with Shoemaker, who died in the fall of 2003. “Paddy kind of pushed me on the filly and thought there was something special about her. After he saw her train over the track a couple of days, he said she moved like a gazelle, so we decided to go in.

“Paddy has done everything right. Everything has fallen in place for this filly. It’s just been a dream. I jokingly said to Paddy once she started training, ‘It’s OK, just have her ready for the American Oaks.’ I guess God was listening, because here we are, but keep in mind, I’m holding my breath.”

Wellman, 27, first knew Gallagher when he was an assistant to Shoemaker. When Shoemaker retired from training in 1997, Gallagher took over the barn and Wellman’s family remained loyal.

“Paddy is a horseman through and through,” he said. “His family is his barn. Not only the people who work here, but the horses as well, and he treats them all as individuals.

“Given a horse with ability, Paddy is going to give them every chance to succeed. He’s patient, and he’s got an innate sense about him to know what horses are looking for and keeping them happy.

“He’s a character, and, although it was only for a short period of time, he no doubt learned from the best. I don’t think a day goes by where he doesn’t apply something he learned from Shoe. It’s pretty emotional not having Shoe here to share in this joy. I know it’s tough on Paddy and tough on us, but Shoe is definitely looking down on us and enjoying this, so it’s pretty cool.”

A former amateur jockey in his native country, Gallagher came to the U.S. to stay in 1981. He first went to work for Sullivan, who trained stars such as The Bart, Forzando and Vernon Castle in the 1980s, then joined Shoemaker when the Hall of Fame rider began his training career in 1990.

Gallagher, who had his best year in 2004, when his stable earned more than $2 million, said he learned much from both men.

“John taught me about the difference training horses here and in Europe,” he said. “I got a lot of experience because I got to travel with some very good horses. Shoe was a great help to me when I was learning how to handle horses and people.

“Without Shoe, I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing today. He helped me get started. I think the single biggest thing he taught me was that if you lose your head, your [rear end] goes with it.”

When Gallagher watched tapes of Three Degrees’ overseas races, he was impressed by her determination.

“She wouldn’t quit,” he said. “She showed a lot of heart, and after that, it was just a lucky guess. She is athletic-looking, but she’s just been a normal horse in the morning. In the afternoon, she’s been impressive. This is going to be a tough race.”

Owned by breeders Mike Willman and Alix Nikki Hunt, McCann’s Mojave made his first start for Gallagher in the Ack Ack Handicap on June 11. Previously trained by Leonard Dorfman, the California-bred son of Memo responded with an upset victory over Congrats and has trained well in the interim.

“He impressed me with the way he ran,” Gallagher said. “Running 7 1/2 furlongs [in the Ack Ack] after a bit of a layoff is a tough race, but he seems to be feeling good and he’s been training really nice at Santa Anita.”