Tag Archives: Aikenite

Aikenite – Dogwood Winner on Derby Day

Aikenite, multiple Grade I-stakes placed as a juvenile, has really started to find his calling since cutting back in distance. Last year’s distant GII Fountain of Youth S. third-place finisher, a non-factor in the GI Blue Grass S., GI Preakness S. and GII Jim Dandy S., got his picture taken twice in 2010, a one-mile allowance test at Belmont June 19 and a seven-furlong allowance at Keeneland Oct. 15. The Dogwood colorbearer was freshened following an eighth-place finish in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Nov. 6.

Second to Apriority in an $80,000 optional claimer at Gulfstream Mar. 5, Aikenite entered off a strong win in Keeneland’s GII Commonwealth S. Apr. 16. Assigned the dreaded one hole here, the dark bay was settled in eighth through fractions of :22.56 and :45. With Johnny Velazquez aboard, he began to roll while racing wide on the turn for home and came with a sustained stretch rally on the outside to nail the GI Carter H. runner-up on the line. Smiling Tiger (Hold That Tiger), slightly favored at 5-2, endured a brutal trip and never factored in sixth.

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