The Grade 2 $175,000 Commonwealth Stakes is the second of four stakes races on today's Keeneland card. Wise Dan is the morning line favorite at 7-5. Although he's coming off of a layoff, having not raced since November, he does have a win over the surface. Wise Dan won the Grade 3 Phoenix at Keeneland last October. He has won two out of three races on synthetic surfaces and has four out of six wins overall. The Charles Lopresti trained gelding will be ridden by Julien Leparoux.
The short field of five also includes 9-5 Aikenite, who we saw last year in some major stakes races like the Bluegrass Stakes, Preakness Stakes, and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He won an allowance race back in October on the Keeneland track at this distance and finished second in his last start. He's turned in two sharp works the past two weeks, so he looks to be eligible to improve.
Cool Bullet and Taqarub, have not won a race since last July, but Cool Bullet finished second in his last start, the $50,000 Forego, and Taqarub has a win over the Keeneland track. Le Grand Cru is making his first start since finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap in February. He hasn't won a race in a year and has never raced at Keeneland. As a son of Dynaformer, a sire with a strong turf, as well as dirt, pedigree, the Keeneland surface should be to his liking. At a morning line of 6-1, he is the longest shot on the board.
In a field this small and this well-matched, I'd watch for an overlay and try to put together a trifecta including Aikenite and Wise Dan or I'd decide to save my money and just enjoy the race!
The race is the 7th at Keeneland and is scheduled to run at 4:27.
Photo: Courtesy Keeneland
