Perfect local records point out Nakatomi, Heart Rhythm in Commonwealth

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Something’s gotta give as Nakatomi and Heart Rhythm line up Saturday at Keeneland. Both are unbeaten in three starts on this main track, and they put those marks on the line in the Grade 3, $300,000 Commonwealth Stakes for older horses going seven furlongs.

Nakatomi has been with the same barn his whole career while traveling extensively, using Wesley Ward’s Keeneland base as the launching pad for trips around the country and world. The two wins in his 2021 2-year-old campaign both came at home at Keeneland, as he won his debut and the Bowman Mill Stakes. Last fall, he won an allowance/optional-claiming race on the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup undercard at Keeneland, with graded stakes winner Endorsed in second in a solid field. He then finished fourth in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in California in his only try at seven furlongs.

“We gave him a little time after that race out at Santa Anita,” Ward said.

:: Bet Keeneland with Confidence: Get DRF PPs, Picks, and Betting Strategies. Shop Now.

Ward said he was specifically “looking for a prep for the Commonwealth” when he sent the gelding to New York last month. In his first start in more than two months, Nakatomi was third in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap in New York, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

Meanwhile, Heart Rhythm has changed barns a few times while mainly sticking to the middle of the country. His most recent move came when he was claimed for $100,000 by trainer John Ortiz last September at Churchill Downs. He promptly won a 6 1/2-furlong Keeneland allowance in his first start for the barn, earning a 96 Beyer. After finishing second and third in a pair of sprint stakes at Fair Grounds, Ortiz experimented with stretching the horse out, and he finished fourth in the Fifth Season going a mile at Oaklawn. He cut back, and bounced back, for a 6 1/2-furlong allowance/optional-claiming win on March 9 at Oaklawn.

Nakatomi and Heart Rhythm both usually show a late kick in sprints. Heart Rhythm drew post 4 in this field of 10 under Rafael Bejarano. Nakatomi, who is capable of showing speed as he did in his allowance win here in November, landed in post 2 with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons.

There is no true front-runner in the field, and Pro Oxidant or Run Classic may fill the role of pacesetter. Run Classic, trained by Bret Calhoun and with the hot-riding Reylu Gutierrez aboard, has been sitting just off the lead in two-turn stakes. He took the lead about halfway through the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds last out and was caught late to finish third, beaten a half-length. He was forwardly placed early going seven furlongs in his 8 1/4-length win in an allowance/optional event last fall at Keeneland, earning his career-best 105 Beyer.

Pro Oxidant is coming off back-to-back allowance sprint wins at Fair Grounds. He was just a head off the lead after a half-mile in his last race.

Hoist the Gold was third in the seven-furlong Malibu on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, then fourth after leading early in the Mineshaft in February. Get Her Number was a Grade 1 winner in 2020 and multiple Grade 1-placed last year. He was third in the Grade 3 San Carlos at Santa Anita last out.

Completing the field are millionaire Long Range Toddy; Here Mi Song, who was stakes-placed at Turfway over the winter; and the allowance winners Legionnaire and Spankster.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.