NEWS
Commentator thumps New York-breds in Kashatreya
Posted: Friday, June 12, 2009 6:01 PM
COMMENTATOR
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
To view the Kashatreya Stakes, click here.
by Frank Angst
Racing Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito is looking forward to the Saratoga Race Course meeting after veteran gelding Commentator overwhelmed four other New York-breds in the Kashatreya Stakes on Friday at Belmont Park.
Zito was looking for more from the two-time Whitney Handicap (G1) winner after the eight-year-old gelding opened 2009 with a fourth-place finish in the $615,000 Charles Town Classic Stakes on April 18.
“Now, that was more like it,” Zito said after Friday’s race. Zito, who hopes to give Commentator a shot at a third Whitney win, will consider one more start for Commentator before the Whitney or could train him up to the August 8 race at Saratoga.
Racing in restricted races has provided a nice option for Commentator. The Distorted Humor gelding has won three restricted stakes at Belmont since ‘06.
“You gotta get the confidence built in these horses, you just can’t throw them to the wolves,” Zito said.
On Friday, Commentator tugged jockey John Velazquez through a quarter-mile in :24.75 and a half-mile in :48.94. Once allowed to run, Commentator easily put away a challenge from Naughty New Yorker and eventual runner-up Stud Muffin to post a seven-length victory as the 1-to-5 favorite.
Owned by Tracy Farmer, Commentator completed one mile on a track rated as muddy in 1:35.65 to earn the eighth stakes victory of his career.
“This is some horse. To come home that fast, I don’t care what anybody says, it’s gratifying,” Zito said. “He’s some horse, no matter how you look at it.”
Out of the Storm Bird mare Outsource, Commentator improved to 14 wins in 23 career starts with purse earnings of $1,974,845.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
To view the Kashatreya Stakes, click here.
Frank Angst is senior writer for THOROUGHBRED TIMES
