Granpa Ger

What makes Granpa Ger a curious case is the consistency of his near-misses in recent form. Four of his last six races have produced a second-place finish, which tells you this is not a horse simply making up the numbers. He is competitive, he gets himself into winning positions, and then something — a stronger rival, a crucial moment — denies him. The sequence of 2-5-2-2-3-10 over his last six outings paints a picture of a horse who keeps turning up and keeps running his race, with that solitary 10th being the exception rather than the rule.

Jockey Danny Mullins has partnered Granpa Ger more than anyone else, riding him in 10 of his 22 races without yet managing to get him to the winner's enclosure. That is a long working relationship built entirely on placed finishes and what-ifs. Still, the fact that Mullins keeps returning to the saddle suggests there is belief in the horse, even if the results have not yet rewarded that faith. Granpa Ger raced just yesterday, so whatever comes next is not far away — and for a horse who has finished second four times recently, the question is whether the win is coming or whether he is simply destined to be the horse that makes the winner look good.