LSU Stables—in action with five horses this week during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course, culminating with Far Bridge in the June 7 Manhattan Stakes (G1T)—got off to a quick start June 4 with a victory from Bank Frenzy in the $200,000 Commentator Stakes.
The Commentator was one of six $200,000 state-bred races Wednesday at Saratoga on New York Showcase Day.
Tracking the pace of front-running Mama's Gold, who set splits of :23.79, :47.84, and 1:11.53 in the 1 1/8-mile dirt race, Bank Frenzy went after the leader late midway on the second turn and wore him down. He gradually inched away for a 1 1/4-length victory in 1:50 under Manny Franco. The favorite, he paid $4.90 to win.
Drake's Passage was third
Bank Frenzy notched his fifth win in his last six starts for LSU Stables and trainer Rudy Rodriguez. His only loss over that stretch came in his last race when he ran fourth in the May 4 Westchester Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack against open company.
"We love the state-bred game," said Randy Sarf of LSU Stables.
Bank Frenzy is a 5-year-old gelded son of Central Banker out of the Tiznow mare Storm Now. Initially purchased for $110,000 at the 2022 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training by trainer Lisa Lewis, agent for Philip Harding, who campaigned him through May of 2024, Bank Frenzy is now 9-5-0 in 18 starts with earnings of $695,920. Chester and Mary Broman bred him, and Sequel Bloodstock sold him for the Bromans at OBS.
Central Banker stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds for $7,500.
Video: Commentator S. (BT)
In other stakes action:
- Able to set soft fractions under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Spinning Colors stole the Mount Vernon Stakes and handily defeated Silver Skillet in a 1 1/16-mile turf race timed in 1:43.27 on firm ground. Trainer Mark Hennig co-owns Spinning Colors ($16.20), a 5-year-old Hard Spun mare, with Bourbon Lane Stable and HGS Thoroughbreds. Whatlovelookslike was pulled up in the race with a right-hind injury and was to be transported to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for further evaluation. (June 5 update: A CT scan revealed severe fractures, and she was euthanized.)
- Alipony Racing and Saints or Sinners' Train the Trainer ($5.90) notched his first career stakes victory in capturing the Mike Lee Stakes over fellow 3-year-olds Soontobeking and Prince Valiant. The front-running winner, a Dialed In gelding trained by Rob Atras, ran seven furlongs beneath Irad Ortiz Jr. in 1:23.92.
- Kay Cup ($4.80) pulled clear through the stretch under Ortiz with seven furlongs in 1:23.79 to defeat Charlotte's Heart and Bernieandtherose in the Bouwerie Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. The victory was her second in a row after a third-place finish in her debut last summer. Jorge Abreu trains the daughter of Instagrand for owners NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, Electric City Racing, and Sportsmen Stable.
- Clear Conscience ($22.60) nosed out Hush of a Storm in a tight finish to the Kingston Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf. The 5-year-old Blame gelding, trained by Mark Casse for Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, and Pantofel Stable, was clocked in 1:41.30 for the distance on firm turf. Jose Ortiz rode the winner.
- Bernietakescharge ($20) grittily turned back favored Sterling Silver to capture the Critical Eye Stakes with Romero Maragh in the saddle. She ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.26. Domenick Schettino trains Bernietakescharge, a 4-year-old daughter of Take Charge Indy , for owner/breeders Robert Rosenthal and Bradford Bernstein.
