Aikenite Gets First Winner with Hotfoot
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos
Hotfoot becomes Aikenite's first winner Oct. 21 at Belmont Park
Maybe it was the extra distance or maybe it was the sloppy going, but in his third start Hotfoot became freshman sire Aikenite 's first winner with a 9 1/2-length gate-to-wire romp in a $62,500 maiden claiming race Oct. 21 at Belmont Park.
Hotfoot is raced by Dogwood Stable, which also raced multiple grade II winner and grade I-placed Aikenite. Trained by Gary Contessa, the 2-year-old gelding was unplaced in his first two starts on grass, first at six furlongs and then a mile. Friday's race at 1 1/16 miles was taken off the turf.
Bred in Kentucky by High Peak Farm, Hotfoot is the first foal out of Hotazel, an unraced daughter of Unbridled's Song. Hotazel is a half sister to stakes winner Dancing On Fire (Philanthropist). She has a yearling colt by Americain and had a filly by Take Charge Indy this year.
Aikenite,by Yes It's True, was bought by Dogwood for $225,000 out of the 2009 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s select February 2-year-old in training sale. He was twice grade I-placed at 2 in the Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes and the Dixiana Breeders' Futurity. At 4 he won the Churchill Downs Stakes and the Commonwealth Stakes (both gr. II) and placed in the grade I Forego Stakes.
The 9-year-old stallion stands at Calumet Farm in Kentucky for $7,500.