Victory Gallop followed a story line with soap-opera touches.

"Victory Gallop was about as small a good horse as I've had," he said.

This will be his first head-to-head meeting with Victory Gallop.

"Menifee is showing less strain than Victory Gallop did," he reported.

Victory Gallop mounted a strong final run to win by a nose.

But I feel a lot better about Victory Gallop.

Victory Gallop did not train last Sunday and has been galloping the past few days.

Then Victory Gallop came streaking up on the outside and went wide, too.

Racing in 1999 at age four, Victory Gallop recorded his best year.

Victory Gallop has three victories in six starts, with two seconds.