Giocoso wins the G3 Commonwealth Turf, courtesy of Kurtis Coady
Churchill Downs Press
Playful became horse racing’s latest millionaire when he completed the stretch of the Matt Winn Turf Course in a big way, winning the 20th running of the $299,800 Commonwealth Turf (Grade III) on Saturday by a margin of Chapman’s Peak at Churchill Downs.
Giocoso ran 1 1/16 miles on “firm” turf in 1:41.47. Jose Ortiz rode the winner for trainer Keith Desormeaux and owner Ronald Ortowski’s Rocker O Ranch LLC.
This impressive performance was Giocoso’s second career victory. Earlier this year he won the $500,000 Secretariat (GII) at Colonial Downs.
“It was a bit of an anxious moment later, but the good horses know how to get the job done,” Desormeaux said. “Jose was able to relax him at the back and I was blessed to have a jockey who used his skills to do that and we got the job done.”
Giocoso relaxed well off the pace in eighth and in the clear on the backstretch Precursor led the field of 10 3-year-olds by splits of :23.15, :47.66 and 1:11.67 with Chapman’s peak on the leader’s right hip. Exiting the final turn, Giocoso, who was held strongly by Ortiz, had one horse beaten when he tapped a figure eight wide at the top of the stretch. As Chapman’s Peak, a recent first-level fee winner at Keeneland, edged ahead by a furlong to the finish, Giocoso used his powerful closing kick down the track to wear down Chapman’s Peak in the final meters for the milestone triumph.
“He’s a horse that comes running every time and always gives his best,” Ortiz said. “I couldn’t have done the job today without Keith and his team back in the barn to get him ready to run. He broke well and I got him to go into the first corner. I asked him to go little by little and when I tipped out at the quarter pole I could see I still had a lot of horses left.”
Giocoso earned $177,250 and now has career earnings of $1,119,971 from a 4-2-2 record in 13 starts.
Giocoso returned $9.48, $5.08 and $3.56 as the third betting choice at 7-2. Chapman’s Peak, starring Irad Ortiz Jr. in the lead, paid $6.38 and $4.46 at odds of 9-2. Outrunner, ridden by Jaime Torres at 49-1, paid $8.66 to show.
flooded, Assembler, California Burrito, Plensawinner of the Koningsplaat cuffs5-2 favorite and Class I winner Troubleshooting and Kentucky Derby 151 entrant Flying Mohawk completed the order of finishing. Stimulus was scratched.
Purchased for $75,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Giocoso is a son of Not This Time out of the Fastnet Rock (AUS) mare Nutcracker Suite and was bred in Kentucky by Breed First LLC.
COMMONWEALTH PEAT QUOTES
Jose Ortiz, jockey, Giocoso, winner: “He’s a horse that comes running every time and always gives his best. I couldn’t have done the job today without Keith and his team in the barn getting him ready to run. He broke well and I got him to go into the first turn. I asked him to go little by little and when I tapped out at the quarter pole I could see I had a lot of horse left.”
Keith Desormeaux, trainer, Giocoso, winner: “It was a bit anxious along the way, but the good horses know how to get the job done. Jose was able to get him to relax at the back and I was blessed to have a jockey who used his skills to do that and we got the job done.”
Brad Cox, trainer, Chapman’s Peak, second: “I thought we had a good trip. He ran hard and it was a good effort against stakes company for the first time. He ran well.”
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