Aikenite rallied to the lead in deep stretch and drew clear to a 2
1/4-length decision in Saturday's Grade 2 Commonwealth, rewarding owner
Cot Campbell's Dogwood Stable with a gold tray from Keeneland for their
eighth graded stakes win at the Lexington, Kentucky, track. Only 16
other owners in Keeneland history have earned a gold tray.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, who recorded his second straight stakes
victory following the success of Stratford Hill in the Grade 3
Shakertown Stakes one race earlier, Aikenite paid $4.60, $3.20 and $2.40
as the 6-5 second choice in the five-horse field. The four-year-old
colt, who owns four graded placings, netted his first career stakes win,
completing seven furlongs on the Polytrack in 1:22 1/5 with jockey John
Velazquez.
Cool Bullet wound up easily holding second. After dueling through splits
in :22 3/5 and :45 1/5, Cool Bullet spurted clear turning for home but
could not withstand the rally of Aikenite, who settled comfortably in
fourth and waited until the stretch to launch his run. It was another
two lengths back to Le Grand Cru in third and even-money favorite Wise
Dan came next under the wire. Taqarub was eased.
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