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Commentator wins Whitney again!

Commentator did all the talking in the Whitney (Bill Roberts/Horsephotos.com) Tracy Farmer's COMMENTATOR (Distorted Humor) pulled a surprise in the 2005 Whitney H. (G1), holding off the late run of eventual Horse of the Year Saint Liam to win by a neck. With no rivals of that caliber in Saturday's $750,000 Whitney, the seven-year-old rolled to a convincing 4 3/4-length victory on the lead. In the process, the Nick Zito runner became the first repeat winner off a three-year hiatus in the 81-year history of the prestigious 1 1/8-mile event. The New York-bred gelding also locked up a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). "This is one of the greatest feats of all time," Zito enthused. "He gets in that league with Kelso and Forego, which I wanted him to be in so they couldn't take him out. He's in that special league. He's an amazing horse. I think the theme should be, 'If you get old, don't give up.' "This is a special win for me. This has to be up there with the greatest of them all. I am thankful to have a horse of this caliber." After breaking alertly under John Velazquez, Commentator showed the way to the first turn and was never seriously threatened on the front end. He established early splits in :24, :47 3/5 and 1:11 4/5 while clear and cornered superbly into the stretch, reaching the mile mark in 1:37 with a four-length advantage. He cruised to the finish line over the rain-soaked but fast track, finishing up in 1:50 1/5.

Sent off the near 9-2 second choice in the 11-horse field, Commentator returned $10.80, $6.20 and $4.30. Student Council (Kingmambo), the 8-1 sixth choice, was the the only late runner to make any impact, rallying from far back to be 8 1/2 lengths clear in second, and paid $7.60 and $4.70. Grasshopper (Dixie Union) got up by a nose for third at 6-1 to give back $4.80. Notional (In Excess [Ire]) came next and was followed under the wire by Rising Moon (Runaway Groom), Merchant Marine (Tiznow), 7-2 favorite Solar Flare (Arg) (Salt Lake), A. P. Arrow (A.P. Indy), Timber Reserve (Forest Camp), Tasteyville (With Approval) and Cowtown Cat (Distorted Humor). The exotics totaled $100 (exacta), $624 (trifecta) and $3,342 (1-10-8-3 trifecta).

Commentator, who passed the $1 million mark with a runner-up effort in the Metropolitan H. (G1) in his previous outing, has now earned $1,541,936 from his 19-12-1-2 line. The lightly raced chestnut hadn't been a route of ground since his third-place effort in the 2005 Woodward S. (G1), which followed his upset victory in the Whitney. He won the seven-furlong Richter Scale Sprint H. (G2) by 13 3/4 lengths earlier this season and owns three other stakes victories sprinting. The classy veteran likes the main track in Saratoga Springs, New York, winning for the fourth time Saturday in six starts.

Bred by Michael Martinez, Commentator brought the gavel down at $135,000 at the 2002 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling sale. He is the first foal out of the unraced Storm Bird mare Outsource, who has since produced yearling and 2008 full sisters to the Whitney winner. This is the female family of multiple Grade 1 winner and $3.2 million earner Behrens (Pleasant Colony); multiple Grade 3 victress and Grade 1 runner-up Hot Novel (Mari's Book); and Grade 3 winner and 2008 Blue Grass S. (G1) runner-up Cowboy Cal (Giant's Causeway).

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