Bankit secured millionaire status with a powerful score in the $200,000 Commentator Stakes on a holiday card at Belmont Park devoted to New York-breds.
Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing’s Bankit dominated the ninth running of the Commentator in Race 4 under a stylish ride from Jose Lezcano for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
The 5-year-old son of Central Banker, bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, angled between pacesetting Winners Laugh and the tracking Mr. Buff late in the turn of the one-mile test and drew off to a 13 1/4-length win in a final time of 1:34.52.
Bankit, who netted $110,000 in victory, improved his record to 30-6-10-4 with purse earnings of 1,027,875. He was also foaled at Hidden Brook Farm and graduated from the Hidden Brook consignment at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton New York Preferred Yearling sale.
He’s 14th millionaire bred, bought or sold by Hidden Brook Farm. Bankit’s other Stakes victories include the Sleepy Hollow S. at 2, the New York Derby during his sophomore campaign and the John B. Campbell Stakes versus open company earlier this year at Laurel Park.
Bankit is one of two Hidden Brook sales grads to win Memorial Day stakes. Keenelenad September grad Laura’s Light was tons the best in the $200,000 Ouija Board Stakes at Lone Star Park. The daughter of Constitution is 5-time Stakes heroine of $471,770. Three of her Stakes scores have come at the graded level.
