When Social man running in the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1), his co-owner, Anthony Melfi of GMP Stables, and Gary Gullo, Melfi’s stablemaster and former trainer, will think fondly of those had a hand in bringing the two men to Louisville, Ky., for their first Derby.
Gullo, a second-generation horseman who had the ability to identify talent at the highest levels, trained for four decades on the New York Racing Association circuit until retiring in the fall 2020 to accept an offer from Melfi to manage the owner’s growing racing. and livestock activities.
Their relationship was first forged through Dominic Galluscio, a close friend of coach Gullo and Melfi until his death in 2014 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 55.
Gullo, 64, said: “When Dominic got sick, I tried to take care of his horses when he couldn’t do much. “I’ll talk to Dominic’s owners, relay information about their horses. I knew Anthony then and when Dominic passed away he asked me if I would train his horses.
“In 2020, when Anthony told me he wanted to get into the business in a bigger way, he said he wanted me to run things for him in racing and breeding. I needed a change (from training), and I thought Anthony’s offer was the perfect scenario for me. He’s the coolest person you’d ever want to meet, he’s like my brother don’t really regret not training anymore, just because he’s a sweetheart I’m doing now and this is happening, being in the Derby, is like a dream come true for All of us.”
Anthony Melfi (left) and Gary Gullo
In 2019, Melfi sold its environmentally hazardous waste company, which did business in 47 states and was responsible for cleaning up after disasters such as 9/11, hurricanes, spills, and more. oil and train derailments. But Melfi, 63, wouldn’t be content to retire without something to keep him engaged, so he increased his involvement in racing while also dabbling in the livestock side of the business . Even then, Melfi yearned to become more involved and become a landowner with property he purchased in Schuylerville, NY, near Saratoga Springs.
With Gullo’s support, Melfi opened the 100-acre GMP Ranch in 2023, a state-of-the-art equine rehabilitation center that features an impressive variety of treatment modalities. The farm also has a seven-track Tapeta training track. Gullo’s former assistant trainer Steve Rydowski manages day-to-day operations at GMP Ranch, which has attracted business from top New York trainers such as Bill Mott, Linda Rice and Todd Pletcher.
For starters, the farm has something for people, the Sacred Spa & Wellness, an idea conceived and brought to fruition by Melfi’s wife, Abby Reed. The property also serves as a wedding and event venue through its business, Sacred Saratoga.
breeding efforts
As a breeder, Melfi knocked one out of the park right away with one stroke curled up yearling sold for $1.05 million in 2022 at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Sale. Melfi bought the dirty dam, level 1 deposit Cassies Dreamer for $435,000 when she was in foal curled up at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Fall Kentucky Mixed Sale. The daughter was later named Camera won the first special weight class at Water racetrack April 7 in her third career start for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Robert LaPenta, Stonestreet Stables and Madaket Stables.
“To be the first horse we sell, there’s nothing better,” Melfi said. “That was better than winning the biggest race I had ever won up to that point, which was high school, and we had just topped that race.
“There’s a great photo of me with Abby in (the sales booth). You can see my face, it’s like ‘What just happened?'”
Currently, Melfi is raising livestock with the intention of selling. He now has a broodmare of 14 stallions, including Cassies Dreamer, who was bred back to Curlin this year. Most of his mares—mainly purchased at auction—are in Kentucky at WinStar Farms, where he partners to buy broodmare with graded stakes winning prospects. Miss Rocket for $1.05 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale. Melfi also breeds mares at Irish Hill Century Farm in New York as he looks to take advantage of the fertility breeding program State incentives to increase breeder bonus rates this year. He often aimed high when choosing sires and among the stallions to which Melfi sent his mares. Flight route , Structure , justification And Life is good. He also owns shares of the 1st grade prize American revolution who entered this year at Rockridge Stud in New York and is a stakes winner Nashville person standing at WinStar.
Gullo said the guidance he and Melfi are receiving from the WinStar team, especially president and CEO Elliott Walden, is “fantastic.”
“We are lucky to have WinStar on our team,” Gullo commented.
TRACK DERBY
While Melfi and Gullo were enjoying being involved in the upper echelon of the livestock business and seeing GMP Farms flourish, the opportunity to attend their first Derby to Society Man is a calling card they don’t take for granted.
Gelified son of Good magic is trained by Danny Gargan—who also has another half-son who ran in the year’s Derby Dornoch —earned his entry into the Run for the Roses with a second-place finish in the April 6 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct. At odds of 106-1, he finished 2 1/4 lengths behind resilience At the same time, he collected 50 Derby points. In the previous race on 9 March, Society Man won his first special weight class by three lengths in his fourth career start.
The Kentucky-bred gelding, bred by SF Bloodstock, was purchased by Conor Foley’s Oracle Bloodstock for $85,000 as a September colt by Keeneland on behalf of equal partners, GMP Stables, Gargan and West Paces Racing. After Wood Memorial, Dean and Patti Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Carl and Yurie Pascarella acquired partial ownership in Society Man as Gargan sold his interest and Melfi parted with 10% while retaining 23%. West Paces Racing holds an initial stake in Society Man.
Melfi has owned horses for nearly 20 years and has been to the Derby twice before as a fan, including a second trip when he took his late parents, Josephine and Victor, who were who was responsible for introducing their son to racing when he was young. Melfi said his parents and grandparents were both “gamblers” and family outings often included visits to racetracks, including racetracks. Saratoga Race Course and the South Florida Railroad.
“It was a dream come true,” Melfi said of getting his first horse in the Derby. “The Derby has always been on my radar because I look at Wood Memorial like, if we get in the race, we have a chance. If we can finish first or second, we can make it to the Derby. Society Man ran a great race and ran a great race before when he won, I was watching Wood Memorial at home alone and running around looking for someone to hug because we finished second.”
The only bittersweet moment Melfi expected to feel Saturday was not being surrounded by the people who first introduced him to horse racing.
“I just wish my parents and grandparents could see it,” he said.
Gullo with Dominic Galluscio
Gullo is experiencing a similar feeling of anticipation as the big day approaches and, like Melfi, will be thinking of a loved one.
“Every year, Dominic and I watch the Derby and he calls me and says, ‘Wow, here we are again, another year sitting on the bench,” Gullo said with a chuckle. “So now now I can say, ‘Dom, this is not another year of sitting on the couch.'”
