Aikenite, who had made eight consecutive starts in
graded stakes before winning a deep allowance race on Saturday at Belmont Park, is likely to make an immediate
return to stakes competition, his trainer Todd Pletcher revealed.
“I’ll talk to Mr. [Cothran] Campbell [of Dogwood Stable] and come up with
a game plan,” said Pletcher. “It will probably be a stakes at Saratoga.”
Aikenite broke his maiden on debut last August at Saratoga, then was third
in the Grade 1 Three Chimneys Hopeful and second in the Grade 1 Dixiana
Breeders’ Futurity. This year he was third in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain
of Youth and runner-up in the Grade 3 The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial. After
finishing 10th in the Grade 1 Preakness, Aikenite rallied to post a
two-length victory in yesterday’s sixth race.
“It was a good effort – a big turnaround,” said Pletcher.
“Obviously he’s been running against some of the best 3-year-olds in the
country. On paper it looked like we didn’t necessarily get an easier spot, but
he settled well and got a nice run out of it.”