Gatsas Thankful for Five G's Journey to the Oaks

Gatsas Stables' Five G would become just the second New York-bred in history to capture the Kentucky Oaks (G1) if she triumphs May 2 under the Twin Spires. Trained by George Weaver, the filly, who started her 3-year-old season as a notable turf horse, has transformed into a live contender in the Run for the Lillies. While a victory in the Kentucky Oaks would be the culmination of 25 years in the racing industry, Five G's owner Mike Gatsas is simply thankful for the incredible ride his homebred filly, a daughter of Gatsas' own stallion in Vekoma, has taken him and his family on to the road to Churchill Downs. Gatsas spoke with BloodHorse about his star stallion Vekoma, the fateful decision to try Five G on the dirt, and his decades-long owner-trainer relationship with George Weaver. BloodHorse: Vekoma, whom you owned in partnership with Randy Hill, took you to the Kentucky Derby six years ago. What does it mean to you to be back at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Oaks with a legitimate contender in his daughter, Five G? Mike Gatsas: It's a lot of fun and very special, especially since it's a homebred. When you have a good one, they're fun; they can take you a long way. I've been in this business a long time, 25 years now. Five G is actually named after my grandchildren, too. I have five grandkids and G for Gatsas, so it's Five G. They're all coming with me, so it's very, very special to be there with the whole family. Everybody is going down to enjoy themselves, and that's the most important thing. That's the main reason I got in this game: my whole family is involved in the sport all the time with me. And they all love it as much as I do. BH: What can you recall about your Kentucky Derby experience with Vekoma? MG: It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I mean, it was just unreal that we got to go. It rained and rained that day. So the walkover- well, it was nice because it was my first one—but it was just pouring all the way over to the paddock. Vekoma just didn't handle that track that day (he finished 12th of 20). So we crossed that race out, but got to enjoy the experience. But we moved on with him, and he was a good 4-year-old. He ended up winning the Met Mile and the Carter, two grade 1s for us. Of course, when he won, it was during COVID, so we never got to see him win (in person). They weren't letting us in the track at the time because of COVID. So that's why everything is even more special with Five G; we've gotten to be there for her races. We saw the Cash Run, and we were there for the Gulfstream Park Oaks too. BH: Vekoma is off to a fast start at stud, leading the first crop sire list last year. Have you been surprised by Vekoma's success as a stallion? MG: His mother was a grade 1 winner, his father was a grade 1 winner, and in racing, they always say breed the best to the best and hope for the best, so I was excited when he went to stud. He also went to Spendthrift, where there's no better place for a young stallion, and they've done a tremendous job by him. Watching his offspring every time they run on the track, one (Faster Gator) just got beat in the Bay Shore Stakes the other day, it's been so much fun to watch all of them, whether we own them or not. He's been a fabulous horse for us. They've won on turf, they've won on dirt, all over the place, and all distances. Hopefully, he continues to be the sire for all of us that he has been. BH: You purchased her dam, the Quality Road mare Triumphant, for only $57,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale. She foaled a Vekoma colt last year. Do you think you'll keep him and race him yourself or sell him? MG: I think we'll race him. Right now I'm saying yes to that. He's a beautiful, beautiful colt. He's on Brett Jones' farm in Kentucky right now. He's doing spectacular. He's a nice-looking colt. We're excited about him for sure. We actually went back to the well and re-bred Triumphant to Vekoma again this year. BH: Five G broke her maiden on the turf last year at Aqueduct and then finished second in a stakes on the turf. What made you guys want to try her back on dirt in the Cash Run? MG: After she ran in the stakes on the turf, George (Weaver) was talking to my son Matt, and said, "You know, one of these times we need to try her back on the dirt." And we just decided if we were going to try it again, let's not wait and try it now rather than later. So George picked out the Cash Run, and the next thing I knew, I was at Gulfstream for the Cash Run. That was a fun one to watch. She came up big that day. She has Vekoma's heart, I tell you. She just won't quit. Even if she's down inside. She has the heart of a good, good horse. BH: When did you start thinking she was a Kentucky Oaks filly? MG: The more she worked in the morning, the better she was looking, so we said I guess we got to put her on the Kentucky Oaks road real fast here because we'll run out of time soon. So here we are now. BH: Five G backed up her Cash Run win with a nice second to Quietside, one of the favorites for the Oaks, in the Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn. MG: She was way outside that day, and Irad had to tuck her in quickly. But she was very game coming down the lane. She ran a big race for us then. Her number from that race showed us she can run with anyone in the country, so we were excited about her after that. And everybody that's been part of her team has been wonderful. George had done a great job with her. Everyone in his barn. Kudos to his assistant, Blair, her exercise rider, and definitely the groom. Without them, we would not be going to the Oaks, that's for sure. It's been an exceptional ride. BH: Heading into the Kentucky Oaks, there promises to be a lot of early speed with horses like La Cara and Simply Joking. Five G has also shown a frontrunning style in her races this year. Do you see her on the lead in the Kentucky Oaks? MG: We don't think she has to have the lead. We think she'll be up there and ready to pounce turning for home. The Vekomas, they can come and handle the distance. And we think she can do that. If she falls on the lead, we'll take it, but you never know, and when those gates open, it'll be (jockey) Manny (Franco)'s job to direct her around there. You never know what's going to happen in that race. But we're very confident in Manny in how he controls the race with her. He really loves the filly. We'll let Manny do what he does best when he gets in the gate. BH: You've cultivated a long owner-trainer relationship with George Weaver over the years. Can you talk about that partnership? MG: We've been doing business with George for a long time. We used to run under Sovereign Stable, and George trained for us then. We ended up doing some partnerships with Randy, and we just continued on with George. Not only is he a great trainer, but he's a great person. I've grown to respect George over the years just as much as a person as he is a trainer. BH: Just one of the many great trainers to come up under Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. MG: Right. I always told my son and daughter that a white bridle around your horse, there's nothing wrong with that. BH: Since Five G is a New York-bred, would you like to take her home to New York after the Kentucky Oaks? Yeah, we'll see what happens in the Oaks, but there would be nothing better than to bring her home to the Empire State and win a nice, good race in New York. I love the NY-breds. My first horse was Gander (graded stakes winner, earner of $1.8 million). He was unbelievable, and he was a New York-bred. I had a great time with him.