Bankit edges rivals, takes Commentator Stakes for second time
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ELMONT, N.Y. – Two years ago, Bankit won the Commentator Stakes by 13 1/4 lengths. Monday, he won it again, this time by about 13 1/4 inches.
Seemingly about to take control of the Commentator in mid-stretch, Bankit had to fight off a resolute longshot named Olympic Dreams to win the Commentator by a head at Belmont Park.
The Commentator was the last of six stakes to be run on a 10-race Big Apple Showcase Day program that consisted of races restricted to New York breds. Three of the stakes were won by margins of a nose, nose and a head.
Jockey Joel Rosario came out on the winning side of two of those photos getting Bankit up in time after getting City Man up by a nose in the $125,000 Kingston, which immediately proceeded the Commentator.
In the Commentator, Rosario had Bankit in fourth position about three lengths off the pace established by Sea Foam, who went a quarter in 22.88 seconds and a half-mile in 46.28. Olympic Dreams, under Trevor
McCarthy, was chasing from the outside and Sheriff Bianco, with Jose Ortiz up, was pursuing from the inside.
At the five-sixteenths pole, Rosario tipped Bankit out into the clear and while Sea Foam and Olympic Dreams were battling on, Bankit looked poised to go past them.
At the eighth pole, Bankit did get the lead, but Rosario said he started to wait on company. Olympic Dreams came back again and Bankit was fortunate to outlast him to the wire.
“As soon as he takes the lead, he kind of waits a bit on horses,” Rosario said. “You got to just keep riding and hopefully he gets a head in front.”
Bankit, a 7-year-old son of Central Banker owned by Winchell Racing and Willis Horton Racing and trained by Steve Asmussen, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.01 and returned $12.20 as a surprising third choice.
It was the ninth win from 40 starts and his eighth stakes success for Bankit, who has now banked $1,406,405.
“He’s tough,” Toby Sheets, the assistant trainer to Asmussen said. “And a great ride by Joel.”
Olympic Dreams, who was only 2 for 6 coming into his stakes debut, ran a terrific race under McCarthy for trainer Pat Quick and owner Gallaghers Stud. Racing close to the pace, he was still around at the finish.
“I love this horse,” McCarthy said. “Nobody likes a dogfight better than this horse. You think he’s beat everytime and he just comes back and gives you 100 percent. He never gives up, he keeps fighting and fighting. The more you have a horse to point him at, the more he gives you.”
Olympic Dreams finished a length in front of Sheriff Bianco. Following him in the order of finish were Dr. Ardito, Whittington Park, Sea Foam, Prince of Pharoahs, the favored Ouster, Two for Charging, Curlin’s Wisdom, Brooklyn Strong, and Barese. Shipsational scratched.
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