The Whitney Handicap, 20 years ago, was the coming-out party for Commentator. The New York-bred gelding, who twice won the historic race – in 2005 and 2008 – as he thrived in Saratoga, where, upon his retirement, he was presented with a peppermint key to the city in the winner’s circle. Commentator came back to call the Saratoga Springs area his home, and died last month at Old Friends at Cabin Creek, in nearby Greenfield Center.
Commentator, who won his first two career starts in summer 2004 at Saratoga for Nick Zito and owners Tracy and Carol Farmer, returned to the track a year later for the Whitney, having won six of seven career starts. The loss came when he was seventh in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope at Gulfstream Park, his lone prior start at the Whitney’s 1 1/8-mile distance. The Whitney favorite, and the highweight at 122 pounds, was Grade 1 winner Saint Liam, who would go on to be the 2005 Horse of the Year.
Commentator, carrying 116 pounds including jockey Gary Stevens, was away from the gate swiftly and led all the way around the Saratoga oval, pursued by Saint Liam as they opened up on the field. Around the far turn, Commentator had gotten away by 5 1/2 lengths, and Saint Liam was 10 lengths clear of the next runner. Down the stretch, Saint Liam mounted a final furious bid, but Commentator held him off by a neck at the wire.
“I didn't know if he could go the distance,” Zito told the Associated Press. “Commentator is an unusual horse.”
The victory was especially sweet for Zito, who would be inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame two days later.
“This is probably the most important victory of my life,” the effusive trainer said.
Commentator, who was managed through physical issues throughout his career, had just 10 starts between his 2005 Whitney victory and his return to the Whitney lineup in 2008. This time, the 7-year-old, the oldest horse in the 11-horse field, was the highweight, at 120 pounds. He again led throughout, winning by 4 3/4 lengths under John Velazquez.
The victory made Commentator one of just three horses to win the Whitney multiple times, joining Discovery (1934, 1935, 1936) and Kelso (1961, 1963, 1965). He was also the second-oldest horse to win the race. Kelso was 8 when he won his final Whitney.
“I compare the horse to George Foreman - he's timeless,” Zito told Daily Racing Form. “It's a good illustration for everyone who ever gets old - don't give up. The older you get the better you get.”
Commentator returned for another try in the Whitney the following year, but finished third. That was his final career start, and he was celebrated at Saratoga with a ceremony for his final record of 24-14-1-4 and earnings of more than $2 million. His eight stakes wins included another historical footnote, as he won the 2008 Massachusetts Handicap, the final running of that race at Suffolk Downs.
Commentator initially retired to Old Friends’ flagship farm in Kentucky before being relocated in 2016 to Cabin Creek, about 20 minutes from Saratoga Race Course. The farm said the son of Distorted Humor stamped himself as an intelligent horse who marched to the beat of his own drum. The gelding spent his final years turned out in the company of stakes winner Watchem Smokey, a patient and tolerant companion who was a perfect match.
Commentator was euthanized on June 27 following long-term complications from Potomac horse fever. The son of Distorted Humor was 24.
“He was well loved, and we will miss him forever,” Old Friends at Cabin Creek manager JoAnn Pepper said. “He was a champion through and through and was very brave.”
Fittingly, the Old Friends at Cabin Creek family recently welcomed another New York-bred Whitney winner home. Diversify, who won the historic race in 2018 arrived at the farm nearly a month to the day after Commentator’s passing. The millionaire, who was trained by the late Rick Violette, a pioneer in Thoroughbred aftercare, came back to New York after also initially retiring to Old Friends in Kentucky. His six career stakes wins included another meaningful one tying him to his predecessor – the 2018 Commentator Stakes at Belmont Park.
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