Bankit | Horse Racing Free Tips

Bankit posted a slew of close efforts in the 17 months since his previous win. But Saturday, the 4-year-old son of Central Banker left no doubt, overtaking Mr. Buff at the top of the stretch and cruising to a 4 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Alex M. Robb for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, Bankit registered his first win in 14 starts – in a span that encompassed five runner-up finishes – outkicking two-time defending Alex M. Robb winner Mr. Buff for his first score since the New York Derby in July 2019 at Finger Lakes.

Bankit, a last-out third-place finisher in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble on November 22 at the Big A, tracked in fourth position as Sea Foam led the six-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.16 seconds and the half in 48.47 on the fast main track amid foggy conditions.

Jockey Jose Lezcano tipped Bankit out approaching the far turn, moving up to third. When straightened for home, Bankit found an extra gear from the outside, easily overtaking Sea Foam before running eye-to-eye and then passing 6-5 favorite Mr. Buff, completing the 1 1/8-mile course in a final time of 1:51.59.

“I watched a couple replays and it looked like sometimes he hangs a little bit,” Lezcano said. “Today, he broke well and I had him behind the two horses I thought we had to beat. When I asked him, he gave me everything he got.”

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Bankit turned the tables on Mr. Buff, reversing the order of the 1-2 finish in the Empire Classic on October 24 at Belmont going the same distance.

Off at 5-2, Bankit, bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, returned $7.70 on a $2 win bet. He improved his career bankroll to $816,675.

“He had a nice pace set up and Jose [Lezcano] put him in a good spot. He got good position and ran a good race,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to Asmussen.

Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff, wheeled back exactly one week after running fifth in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, came up short in his bid for three straight Alex M. Robb victories for trainer John Kimmel but ran three lengths clear of Yankee Division for second.

Sea Foam, Danny California and City Man, who broke through the gate before being reloaded, completed the order of finish.

“My horse broke bad because the horse inside [City Man] acted up a little and broke through the gate,” said jockey Kendrick Carmouche, aboard Mr. Buff. “He got a little fussy in there and broke a step slow, but I got him to where I wanted to have him in the race. He ran hard. He tried his best. I think if he hadn't ran seven days ago, it would be a different outcome, but congratulations to the winner.”

Live racing will resume on Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Bay Ridge, a nine-furlong test for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. First-race post time is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

The post Bankit Ends Win Drought, Defeats Mr. Buff In Alex M. Robb appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Funny Guy finished strong in his first start off a nine-month layoff, surging alongside the rail under jockey Joel Rosario to overtake Blewitt in the stretch and outkick two additional challengers to his outside, capturing Friday's $125,000 Commentator, a one-turn mile for New York-breds 3-years-old and up at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Owned by Gatsas Stables, R.A. Hill Stable and Swick Stable, Funny Guy won two stakes in his 3-year-old campaign, with his last race coming in a sixth-place effort in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby in September at Remington Park.

Funny Guy was content to sit off Blewitt's early pace, leading the nine-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 22.67 seconds and the half in 45.81 on the fast main track.

Rosario piloted Funny Guy to a ground-saving trip, gaining position near the rail and made a strong move out of the turn. In the stretch, the John Terranova trainee linked up with Blewitt to his outside and gained the edge as Bankit and 4-5 favorite Mr. Buff, the high weight carrying 127 pounds, also challenged from Blewitt's outside.

Funny Guy, carrying 120 pounds, hit the wire in a final time of 1:34.35, besting runner-up Mr. Buff by 1 ¼ lengths. Funny Guy improved to 4-4-0 in 11 career starts in his impressive 4-year-old bow.

“He's been doing really well and training great,” Terranova said. “We've had him ready for a while now. Of course, we've all been delayed coming back, and the race came up a deep field for New York-breds; that was our only maybe concern. As far as his training goes, he's progressed as a 4-year-old and just gotten stronger and stronger. I was hoping for a big effort and thought we would get it, but it was even sweeter than expected.”

Off at 11-1, Funny Guy returned $24.40 on a $2 win wager. The Big Brown colt earned $68,750 for the win, increasing his career bankroll to $458,395.

“Between the three-eighths and the quarter-pole, I had a problem with the horses in front of me and I had to check him a little bit,” Rosario said. “He was okay with that and was handling everything fine and was able to come up the inside and sustain his run. He kept improving. The further we went, the better he was going.”

Funny Guy has now won at 6 ½ furlongs, one mile, and 1 1/8 miles and has also run second in each of his two turf starts, with each coming in stakes against New York breds.

Mr. Buff, who entered with three consecutive wins and four victories in his last five starts for trainer John Kimmel, edged Bankit by a neck for second.

“He's a pro. He ran his race,” said Junior Alvarado, Mr. Buff's rider. “We thought coming into the race, it might be a little quick for him. He had only four workouts and two were easy and two trying to get him a little tighter before the race. We had that on our minds and I didn't want to chase the lead too early and get tired.

“Coming from a little bit of a layoff, I thought he put a great effort in today,” he added. “He was really digging in for me and he never gave up any ground. I don't think the weight mattered too much. He's a big guy, he can handle it. For me, it was more just needing a little more time.”

Blewitt, Build to Suit, Pat On the Back, Honor Up and My Boy Tate completed the order of finish. Whistling Birds was pulled up on the backstretch and vanned off.

The Commentator is named for the former trainee of Hall of Famer Nick Zito, who won the 2005 and 2008 editions of the Whitney at Saratoga Race Course and compiled three graded stakes wins overall in a career that spanned 2004-09.

Live racing resumes Saturday with a 10-race card highlighted by the Grade 1, $300,000 Ogden Phipps, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Distaff, in Race 9 at 5:36 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:15 p.m.

The post Funny Guy Takes Inside Route For Comeback Victory In Commentator appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post