In a thrilling battle to the finish line, Nathan Hayden's homebred Here Mi Song edged past runner-up Hoist the Gold in the final strides and emerged the winner by a neck margin in the $300,000 Commonwealth (G3) Saturday at Keeneland.
A 5-year-old gray or roan gelding, Here Mi Song provided Spendthrift Farm resident sire Cross Traffic a second graded stakes winner on Keeneland's opening weekend following Defining Purpose's elite-level in the Central Bank Ashland (G1) Friday at the Lexington track.
Sent off at 11-1 odds under Alex Achard, Here Mi Song unleashed a torrid outside stretch rally and drew on even terms with Hoist the Gold, who had grabbed a narrow advantage. The winner dug in when called upon and in a powerful surge in the shadow of the wire stretched out his neck to get the win, his first in a stakes and fifth from 19 career starts. He covered the sevend-furlong test in 1:23.42 on a fast track.
Get Her Number finished third.
Here Mi Song, who was second in the Forego Feb. 4 at Turfway Park in his season opener subsequently was sixth in the Big Daddy Stakes there March 11 in his previous start, but was a determined winner in a breakthrough effort Saturday for trainer Billy Stinson Jr., who also gained his first career stakes win.
Kentucky-bred Here Mi Song, who paid 25.60, for the win, was produced by the Dehere mare Mi Viera.
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