Central Banker dominates New York freshmen

Central Banker made a stellar debut with his first runners in 2018, not only finishing as New York’s leading freshman sire by a wide margin, but leading all juvenile sires in the state and ranking in the top 10 nationally among freshmen.

Central Banker, a Speightstown horse who stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, was represented by 10 individual winners from 36 first-crop starters last year for earnings of $1,035,608. That bankroll placed him fourth nationally behind Kentucky-based freshmen Cross Traffic, Goldencents, and Cairo Prince.

Central Banker’s progeny are led by Bankit, who won the Sleepy Hollow Stakes at Belmont Park by 5 3/4 lengths and was beaten just a nose in the Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga. He ventured away from his home state of New York for the Springboard Mile in December at Remington Park and was a creditable second, beaten a head by Long Range Toddy.

Central Banker also is the sire of Sassy Agnes, who ripped off consecutive victories in the Lady Finger and Shesastonecoldfox stakes at Finger Lakes and the Key Cents Stakes at Aqueduct. She also finished second in a division of the New York Stallion Stakes at Aqueduct.

Central Banker was stakes-placed as a juvenile and multiple Grade 1-placed the following season. He scored his biggest victory as a 4-year-old, taking the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes over a well-matched field including Shakin It Up, Clearly Now, Delaunay, Capo Bastone, Sahara Sky, and Laugh Track.