His pedigree includes the top British horse Ribot, as well as Tom Fool, Count Fleet, Bimelech, Eight Thirty, Noor, and Hyperion.
Bred by Angela Rugnetta, and owned by Gatsas Thoroughbreds, Gander was originally trained by Charlie Assimakopoulos, and then by John Terranova.
At four, he won the Evan Shipman Handicap at Belmont, and came home second in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup to Albert the Great.
Gander, with John Velazquez aboard, also started in the 2000 $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic in a field that included Albert the Great, Captain Steve, Cat Thief, Fusaichi Pegasus, Giant's Causeway, Lemon Drop Kid, and Tiznow.
At the age of six, with Richard Migliore up, he won the Empire classic for the second time, placed in the Woodward Stakes to Lido Palace, and placed in the Kings Point Handicap to Toddler.