Churchill Downs: Gigante wins off-the-turf Commonwealth

Virginia-bred Gigante angled out at the top of the stretch to collar Smokey Mandate inside the three-sixteenths pole and kicked away late to win the off-the-turf 18th running of the $257,500 Commonwealth by 4 1/2 lengths over 3-5 favorite Northern Invader at Churchill Downs on Sunday, closing day of the track’s 134th fall meet.

Gigante, who broke his maiden at Colonial Downs as a 2-year-old in his only other race on dirt, ran 1 1/16 miles over the fast dirt main track in 1:44.46 to collect his fourth career stakes win. Luan Machado rode the winner for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Sent off at odds of 10-1, Gigante had to check off heels as the field of eight 3-year-olds raced into the first turn but he settled nicely in fourth just behind J.P. Race, Wild Sean and Smokey Mandate who raced three-wide through early splits of 23.86, 47.56 and 1:12.12. When J.P. Race began to retreat leaving the final turn, Gigante spurted three wide into contention and proved best down the lane.

“He’s a very nice horse, and Steve Asmussen and his team did a great job getting him prepared for this race,” Machado said. “I sat a beautiful trip behind the pace and he came with his closing kick down the lane. Every time I asked him, he dug in.”

Previously, Gigante won the $165,500 Kitten’s Joy at Colonial Downs at age 2 and prevailed in this year’s $150,000 Caesars Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis in May at odds of 33-1 and $500,000 Secretariat (G2) at Colonial Downs in August at 22-1.

“He’s a beautiful Virginia-bred and it was great to see him dominate versus open company today,” Asmussen said. “I thought Luan gave him a great ride today. We’re very fortunate to be in the position we’re in with horses like him.”

Gigante returned $22.06, $2.56 and $3.66 as the fourth betting choice. Northern Invader, with Jose Ortiz up, got up by a head for second and paid $2.56 and $2.10. Smokey Mandate, ridden by James Graham, paid $2.90 to show.

Winters Lion, Lincoln Highway, Wild Sean, Worthington and J.P. Race completed the order of finish. Anglophile, Runaway Storm, Ohana Honor, Irish Aces, Bal a Kazoo, Santorini and Clyde’s Get a Gun were scratched. The Commonwealth, originally called the Commonwealth Turf Stakes, was downgraded from Grade 3 to listed when it came off the grass.

Gigante netted $150,350 for owners Iapetus Racing and Diamond T Racing and now has career earnings of $915,475 from a record of 12: 5-0-1.

Gigante is a son of Not This Time out of the Empire Maker mare Summertime Green and was bred by Ann Mudge Backer & Smitten Farm.