Commonwealth (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
KEE- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
April 8, 2023

The Commonwealth is one of a few exciting races on the undercard of the BC Stakes at KEE on Saturday. This Grade 3 is a seven-furlong race held on the main track that is being held for the 20th time. The purse levels for the race have been a bit all over the pace, starting at $250.000, increasing to $400.000, and dropping to $175.000. It would be $300.000 in 2022 and will see a return to that amount in 2023. Past winners of this race include Shoot Skyhigh, who did so in both 2010 and 2011, as well as Omni and Z One Chance. In 2022, Street Edge got the win for Spankys Barn and now will take a shot at duplicating what Shoot Skyhigh accomplished over a decade ago. Unlike the Shakertown, three-year-olds are not eligible here, sparing us from the need to talk about eight pound weight allowance. There are seven in this race, let’s take a look at them now!

#1- Crimson Sun (Riggins Racing, ridden by A R Rodriguez)- Makes his third start in the Riggins silks after he was picked up in private sales for $50.000. Didn’t get off to a flying start, but rebounded well in his last effort, which was a third place showing in the Grade 3 Whitmore while earning a 100 SRF. Around this time last year, he won the Grade 3 Fleet Sprint Handicap at OP, and if runs the way he did in the Whitmore again, there’s no reason to think that Crimson Sun can’t take this. Unfortunately, I don’t know if we can count on that, because he has been inconsistent over his career.

#2- Dance Man (Gdp Inc, ridden by F T Alvarado)- We’ll need to get our dancing shoes on for the next two horses. First, in Dance Man, we have a six-year-old gelding that has only made eleven starts. After a start in May 2019 at FP, Dance Man took almost three full years off. Usually when we see that happen, it’s because there was an inactive trainer involved, but not this time. Gdp Inc was simply very patient and perhaps now this horse is hitting his stride. Working well and comes off a respectable outing in the Fool Handicap, which was his stake debut.

#3- Dancing Rattler (Martyparty, ridden by J R Velazquez)- From a man to a rattler, we have this West Virginia bred that has been able to win half of his sixteen career starts. Coming into the Commonwealth, Dancing Rattler has won two of his last three, so he is still able to win at that rate. Last month in the mud at SA, he topped a field of ten in the Grade 3 San Carlos by coming from off the pace. He doesn’t have to do that, though, as he has been just as effective over his career when running on or near the lead early.

#4- Two More Wishes (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by L Dettori)- No more dancing horses, men, or rattlers. Instead, we get a six-year-old gelding by Laffin To Mia which was acquired very cheaply by D J C Racing Stables. It took just $12.000 to get him from Wooded Ridge last November, and he has made two starts while in his new silks. The first of those was an optional claimer against NY-breds where he was second, and about six weeks ago, while running a mile, he won the $125.000 Stymie. Had mostly been a starter allowance horse up to that, so he’s already looking better with his new trainer.

#5- Street Edge (Spankys Barn, ridden by D Van Dyke)- Last year, Street Edge picked up the win in the Commonwealth, beating a field of nine for what was at the time, his third straight win. He would go on to win two more times after that, and that punched his ticket into the BC Sprint. Unfortunately for the trainer, that did not go well for him and we haven’t seen Street Edge in a graded race since. Or on the main track since, for that matter. His last two starts were on the grass, and he was second in the Sensational Star about three weeks ago. Back to a familiar spot here, though.

#6- Ideal Info (Arindel, ridden by L Saez)- Ran last year in the KYD, but did not have a memorable finish. Bounced back nicely from that with a pair of runner up finishes, which include the WV Derby. However, since an allowance on this very racetrack last November, Ideal Info has not done much of anything in three starts, failing to hit the board and not better than sixth. Beaten a combined nine lengths in his last two starts. This isn’t much of a drop off from them, and while I believe the trainer can turn him around, I’ll have to see it with my own eyes.

#7- Confirmation (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Rounding it out, we have this four-year-old colt by Bo Judge that has only two victories in sixteen starts. While he has mainly been a sprinter, he has been going back and forth from dirt to turf as the trainer looked to get him that second win. That eventually came at FG against LA-breds on New Years Day. In his last start, he was fifth of ten as a massive longshot in the San Carlos Stakes, so that can be built on. Still, I lean towards others in here but don’t rule him out from hitting the board.

Prediction: 1-5-3-7

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES