Commonwealth Turf (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
CD- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
November 23, 2024

Six horses will be heading to the starting gate for the 15th running of the Commonwealth Turf, a race for three years olds on the turf at a mile and a sixteenth. It was first run in 2005, but has not been contested every year, and it was not until 2022 where we saw a significant purse increase for the race. That’s when it went up from $125.000 to the $300.000 that it is at now. Last year’s race was won by Ozark, for Mb Stables, and it is the last time that horse has won a race. He now resides in my stable, and there was never an intention of running him in stakes again. After a farm work today, he may be done for good. But anyway, let’s meet those that will be running this year:

1- Call Me Jack (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- Got some positive results for the trainer after he picked up for $15.000 in the March auction, with an ungraded win and then a third in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes. But, after his last two, he needs to get his form going in the right direction, and D J C is going to see if a move to the turf can accomplish that. He’s working well on this surface, so it could prove to be a great call.

2- Knorth Knight (Our Athletes, ridden by R L Moore)- He may have won a Grade 3 back in February, but arguably the best race of his career came last month at KEE, when he was second in the $600.000 Grade 3 Station. Only lost by a neck in that one and earned a 100 SRF along the way. That race was won by the horse, Charlie Jace, who finished second in the Kings Plate, as well. He meets up with some tough company here too, but there is no reason to think that he can’t pull it off.

3- Were Wolf (Riggins Racing, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Most of his ten starts this year have come in stakes, both of the graded and ungraded variety, and he has won two of them. This includes the $300.000 Walker right here at CD back in May, which is a sprint. He’s been successful when going long as well, so don’t have concerns about him in regard to the distance. That concern should simply be that he has not faced this deep of a field in a while. Based on a work at the start of the November, he will absolutely be up to the task. I wonder if his odds will climb. If they do, take a shot.

4- Grand Zion (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- Has a feast or famine career record, as in twelve starts he has four wins but has not hit the board in any of the other eight races. Things improved for him after he was gelded in March, though not right away. He does come into this with wins in two of his last three, including the La Jolla Handicap at DMR in August. We’ll see if he can remain hot and this would be a statement win if he could get it.

5- River Run (Nakamura Stables, ridden by A A Gallardo)- Last month, River Run made his stake debut at AQU in the $500.000, Grade 3 JC Derby at eleven furlongs. That massive result came too late for him to have a shot at getting into the BC, and this is where he will follow up that effort. Prior to the JC Derby, River Run had a pair of thirds in ungraded races at distances more like what he will be running today, and that will suit him just fine as well. Been very consistent after being gelded.

6- Winned (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by G Corrales)- The last time Winned was on this racetrack, he didn’t beat anyone in the KYD and now he will look to erase those bad memories in the Commonwealth Turf. The move to the grass has been extremely successful for Winned, winning the KD Preview Nashville Derby and then a huge win in the $1,000.000 Gun Runner at KD. It was then off to KEE, where he was second in the Shadwell Turf Mile. Those results were only good enough to get him as an also eligible for the BC Mile. May have been a strong contender there and will now look to take it out on the field right here.

Prediction: 6-2-5-1

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES