By Bill Heller
Benefitting from a flawless ride by Manny Franco, LSU Stables’ five-year-old gelding Bank Frenzy put away game front-runner Mama’s Gold late for a length-and-a-quarter victory in the mile-and-an-eighth Commentator Stakes, named for the two-time winner of the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes for Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito.
The victory was Bank Frenzy’s fifth in his last six starts, the lone miss a fourth in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes in his last start on May 4th.
Sent off the 7-5 favorite from the outside post in the field of eight for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, Bank Frenzy won in a final time of 1:50.00. With a lifetime record of nine victories and five seconds in 18 starts, the son of Central Banker out of the Tiznow mare Storm Now, bred by Chester and Mary Broman, has now earned $695,920.
Mama’s Gold,sent off at 4-1 odds from the rail under Romero Maragh, was a clear second, nearly four lengths ahead of 2-1 second choice Drake’s Passage and Luis Saez after lunging at the start and breaking poorly.
The Commentator Stakes was a two-horse affair the entire way, with Mama’s Gold setting fractions of :23.79, :47.88 and 1:11.53 as Bank Frenzy ran in second.
Bank Frenzy made his move around the far turn, confronting Mama’s Gold and looking as if he would blow past him. He didn’t, as Mama’s Gold dug in and fought gamely through the length of the stretch.
In the final 300 yards, Bank Frenzy prevailed and inched away. “I thought he had him at the quarter-pole,” Rodriguez said after the race. “He means a lot to the whole barn. We’re just happy to have him.”
Previously trained by Lisa Lewis, Bank Frenzy has flourished under Rodriguez’s care, posting six victories, two seconds and a fourth in nine starts.
