Bobby’s Wicked One used his speed and tenacity to capture Saturday’s $250,000 Commonwealth S. (G3) at Keeneland by 1 1/4-lengths over an all-star field of male sprinters.
The victory in the seven-furlong affair was the first graded stakes win for the 4-year-old Speightstown colt, who had scored two easy allowance wins over the winter at Fair Grounds.
Saturday’s race had a much deeper field than his earlier races, but Bobby’s Wicked One used his early turn of foot to get the lead and over to the rail from post 9. From there, he controlled the tempo the entire way, and despite some heavy pressure in upper stretch, pulled away to the win over runner-up Warrior’s Club in 1:22.80 on the fast main track.
Trainer Al Stall, Jr. summarized how the year has shaped up for his stable star.
“We sent him out (to Santa Anita in late December) for the Malibu (G1) and he ran his eyeballs out,” said Stall. “He couldn’t have run any better. Hooked McKinzie, was in a photo for second. Came back to New Orleans, gave him a little breather, and I’ve never had a horse get in such good form as he’s been in his last two races. He won those two races down there in 1:09 and change and he was literally jogging. So we came to this race with a ton of confidence.”
Owned by Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stables, Bobby’s Wicked One upped his earnings to $318,080 and record to 4-3-1 from 10 starts. Bred by Ramona S. Bass, the winner is out of Wicked Charm, who is a half-sister to Eclipse Turf Champion English Channel.
Speightstown, who has more than 100 graded stakes winners worldwide, is off to an excellent start with his runners this year, accounting for four stakes winners and an additional three stakes horses to date and is ranked in the top 10 on the General Sire list with more than $2.6 million in progeny earnings.
