Aikenite Finishes Strong in Commonwealth

Aikenite rallied to the lead in deep stretch and drew clear to a 2 1/4-length decision in Saturday's Grade 2 Commonwealth, rewarding owner Cot Campbell's Dogwood Stable with a gold tray from Keeneland for their eighth graded stakes win at the Lexington, Kentucky, track. Only 16 other owners in Keeneland history have earned a gold tray.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, who recorded his second straight stakes victory following the success of Stratford Hill in the Grade 3 Shakertown Stakes one race earlier, Aikenite paid $4.60, $3.20 and $2.40 as the 6-5 second choice in the five-horse field. The four-year-old colt, who owns four graded placings, netted his first career stakes win, completing seven furlongs on the Polytrack in 1:22 1/5 with jockey John Velazquez.

Cool Bullet wound up easily holding second. After dueling through splits in :22 3/5 and :45 1/5, Cool Bullet spurted clear turning for home but could not withstand the rally of Aikenite, who settled comfortably in fourth and waited until the stretch to launch his run. It was another two lengths back to Le Grand Cru in third and even-money favorite Wise Dan came next under the wire. Taqarub was eased.