BY BROCK SHERIDAN

James Thares (left), Mad House and jockey Paco Lopez and David Van Winkle (right) – ©Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

James Thares’ Mad House stretched his winning streak to four with a 23-1 upset of the $400,000 Gallant Bob (Grade 2) at Parx Racing Saturday—making it three consecutive years in which a Florida-bred has won the six-furlong test. Joining Damon’s Mound in 2023 and Bentornato last year as Gallant Bob winners, Mad House was the best of 10 sophomores in his first black-type victory.

Ridden by Paco Lopez from post seven, Mad House withstood pressure from Fire Pit to his outside through a quarter mile in :21.58 and the half mile in :43.94. Mad House began to separate inside the final furlong with Fire Pit still second then stretched his lead to two-and-three-quarters lengths under the wire while finishing in 1:08.77 on the fast track. Gateskeeper was second, a half-length faster than Fire Pit in third. Barnes, the 2-5 favorite, was fourth followed by Retribution, Florida-bred Neoequos, Wax Box, Alchemism, Donut God and Friday Surprise.

Mad House paid $49 to win.

Trained by David Van Winkle, Mad House won his previous three races at Canterbury Park starting with an 11 ½-length victory in his sixth career start on June 29. He then won a six-furlong allowance race in the mud on July 23 before taking an upper level, $12,500 optional claiming by eight-and-a-quarter lengths on Aug. 23.

Mad House has now won four of nine with a second and a third and the $217,500 first-place check more than tripled his career earnings to $281,815.

Bred in Florida by Jean White, Wavertree Farm and Steven Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds LLC, Mad House is by Vekoma out of Stifled Heiress, by Munnings. Thares purchased Mad House for $47,000 out of Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale.

Stifled Heiress has two winners from two starters and four foals with Mad House her only black-type winner. She has an unnamed yearling colt and a weanling colt, both by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ top freshman sire Leinster. She was bred to Leinster again in 2025. Stifled Heiress is out of the stakes-winning Wildcat Heir mare Wildcat Heiress, dam of stakes-placed Salvaje.

Return to the September 20 issue of Wire to Wire