Bo Cruz Cruises to Victory in Commonwealth Stakes

Bo Cruz  basically cruised to victory in the $294,500 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) April 6 at Keeneland in what trainer Al Stall Jr. admitted was an experiment.

Jockey Jose Ortiz said it was a total success.

Bo Cruz, a 4-year-old colt by Creative Cause   out of the Ghostzapper   mare Quick Breeze , made short work of the seven furlongs. After shadowing the early pace, Ortiz sent him to the lead on the turn and he responded eagerly, drawing off to win by 2 1/2 lengths in a time of 1:22.94. He paid $14.12.

Minnesota Ready  was along for second with Wico  third. Manny Wah  was a morning scratch and Here Mi Song  was scratched at the gate.

Stall had tried Bo Cruz at just about every distance available with mixed results. In his only prior graded stakes effort, he faded to third in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles at Ellis Park in June 2023. The colt races for owners Roger Cettina, Brian Pagano, Patrick Grippo, Peter Martine and Bruno De Julio. 

"It was an experiment, obviously," the happy trainer said of the now 3-for-7 colt. "We just had a gut feeling."

"We had everything go our way," Ortiz added. "He was just galloping down the backstretch and when I asked him, he did kick very well."