Red Route One breaks his maiden Sep. 5, 2022 at Kentucky Downs (Coady Photography)
Bankit Doing Well Ahead of $200K Commentator
NYRA Press Office
ELMONT, N.Y.— Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Kentucky homebred Red Route One has settled into his routine at Belmont Park since arriving on May 21 to prepare for an intended start in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 10 over Big Sandy.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the chestnut son of Gun Runner has gone out for light exercise each morning while under the care of Asmussen’s Belmont assistant, Toby Sheets, who said Red Route One had an easy gallop over the main track Saturday.
“He’s doing well,” said Sheets. “He went to the main track today and I’m very happy with him. We haven’t breezed him yet and he has just been galloping. He seems good over the track and he likes his round pen.”
Red Route One was last seen finishing a closing fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 20 where he made up ground late but could not reel in the runaway pair of Blazing Sevens and the victorious National Treasure after the latter set moderate fractions throughout.
He won the nine-furlong Bath House Row by a head two starts back at Oaklawn Park and has finished on-the-board in three graded events when second in the Grade 2 Rebel and Grade 3 Southwest this year, and third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity as a juvenile.
The regally-bred Red Route One is out of the unraced Tapit mare Red House, a full-sister to 2014 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Untapable and a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner and sire Paddy O’Prado. Red Route One is closely related to Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino third-place finisher Dreamlike, who is also by Gun Runner and out of a full sister to Red House named Time to Tap.
Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing will send out their evergreen New York-bred Bankit in Monday’s $200,000 Commentator, a 1 1/16-mile main track test for state-breds over Big Sandy. The multiple graded-stakes placed 7-year-old son of Central Banker has proven worthy of his name with total purse earnings nearing $1.3 million and a resume that includes seven stakes victories.
Bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, Bankit won the 2021 Commentator by 13 1/4 lengths and seeks his first win since taking the NYSSS Thunder Rumble in December at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Bankit, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Frank Y. Whiteley against open company on April 15 at Laurel Park, recorded his final breeze for the Commentator on Tuesday, covering a half-mile in 49.89 seconds over the Belmont dirt training track.
“He’s doing very well and breezed great the other day,” said Sheets. “He’s been training well and I’m very happy with him. He’s so consistent and he’s just so exciting. It’s been a positive experience with him and he makes you feel good.”
Memorial Day Monday’s special 10-race all New York-bred card at Belmont Park celebrates the best of New York racing for the annual Big Apple Showcase Day. The day will offer six state-bred stakes worth $900,000. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.
