Commentator (horse)
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| Commentator | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Distorted Humor |
| Grandsire | Forty Niner |
| Dam | Outsource |
| Damsire | Storm Bird |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 2001 |
| Country | USA  |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Michael Martinez |
| Owner | Tracy Farmer |
| Trainer | Nick Zito |
| Record | 18 Starts: 11 – 1 - 2 |
| Earnings | Over $1,000,000 |
| Major Racing Wins, Awards and Honours | |
| Major Racing Wins | |
| Perryville Stakes (2004) Whitney Handicap (2005) Mugatea Stakes (2006) Richmond Runner Stakes (2007) Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship Handicap (2008) |
|
| Infobox last updated on: March 9, 2008. | |
Commentator (b. March 27, 2001), is an American Thoroughbred race horse out of the increasingly influential stallion, Distorted Humor, sire of the winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby, Funny Cide. Like Funny Cide, Commentator is a New York bred as well as a gelding.
His dam, Outsource, was a daughter of Storm Bird, at two a champion in both England and Ireland and a sire producing stamina. Storm Bird, by Northern Dancer, also sired Storm Cat and Summer Squall. Outsource was born deformed and was therefore never raced or trained. Instead she was bred to Distorted Humor at only two years of age, and the result was Commentator…making Outsource one of the youngest mares ever to produce a Grade I winner.
Bred by Michael Martinez, Commentator went for $45,000 as a yearling (hip # 3231) in the Keeneland November yearling sales, but by two years of age his price was $135,000 when he went to Tracy Farmer, who owns him still. From the beginning he’s been trained by Hall of Fame trainer, Nick Zito.
Seven years of age in 2008, the gelding has made only 16 lifetime starts due to several small injuries (emerging from his races with foot problems and operated on for cannon-bone fracture injuries), but each time he’s come back as good as he was before. Nick Zito, who trains and has trained a great number of very good horses, said this of Commentator, “There's no speed like him. Who in their right mind would go with that horse? Who could? Is there a faster horse in the world?”
At three he won the seven furlong Perryville Stakes, setting a track record time of 1:25.19 for the distance. At four, on August 5, 2005, he went wire to wire in the Grade I nine furlong Whitney Handicap and in the process beating that year’s American Horse of the Year, Saint Liam. 32,287 people crowded onto the Saratoga Race Course to watch Commentator, ridden by Gary Stevens, set the pace, then seem to tire as the great Saint Liam made his move. But Commentator dug in, finding the heart and the speed to beat Saint Liam to the finish line. At five, he won the Mugatea Stakes at Belmont Park and at six, he placed in the Tom Fool Handicap, then took the Richmond Runner Stakes for New York-breds by 11 and a quarter lengths. In the Richmond Runner, he ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.69.
On October 27, 2007, entered in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Monmouth Park he finished seventh on a very “sloppy track.” But then, in January of 2008, he won a Gulfstream Park allowance race in a 14 ½ length romp that set a track record. Under jockey John Velazquez he went 1:33:71 for a mile on the “fast” track.
Commentator, again ridden by Velazquez, won the Grade II Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship Handicap on March 9, 2008 by a margin of 13 and ¾ lengths, Pushed by Elite Squadron through early fractions of 22 seconds and 45.04, he led by five lengths at the top of the lane, and then increased his lead with every stride. Track announcer, Larry Colmus, called, "Here comes Commentator, the fastest horse in America." Asked to comment on that call, Zito said, "Not only is that plausible, it has the added advantage of maybe being true."
Commentator covered the Richter Scale's seven furlongs in 1:23.23.
On May 26, 2008 he ran a very game second in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. The effort made Commentator a millionaire and was enough for Zito to consider the Whitney Handicap in July of 2008.
