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By Sarah Mace
Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing’s Bankit, by New York sire Central Banker, has traveled further afield than most of his age-mates in the 2019 New York-bred sophomore class, racing on six different tracks in the first 11 starts of his career. He made the first tilt at his seventh racetrack, Finger Lakes, a winning one, coming from off the pace to score a decisive 1 1/4-length victory in Wednesday’s 47th running of the $150,000 New York Derby.
Bankit waged an extremely promising juvenile campaign for trainer Steve Asmussen, winning his second start, a Saratoga dirt sprint, by six-plus lengths. Second by a nose in the Funny Cide Stakes later in the meet, and unplaced in the Bertram F. Bongard at Belmont in the fall, he earned his first black type win with a good-looking 5 3/4-length closing score in the Sleepy Hollow on Empire Showcase Day.
The Sleepy Hollow performance prompted Bankit’s connections to take him on the road. On December 16 he turned heads when he finished second by a head to Kentucky Derby-bound Long Range Toddy in the open Remington Springboard Mile Stakes. Bankit’s next three starts also came in formidable company; the Smarty Jones and Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. Unplaced in these three races, he returned to the state of his birth and New York-bred foes.
Not relishing a wide trip in the slop in the New York Stallion Stakes Times Square on April 20, Bankit followed up with a solid third to New York Derby Rival Blindwillie McTell in the Mike Lee Stakes on May 27. Jockey Eric Cancel made the trip to Finger Lakes to take the call in hopes of guiding his mount to his first victory of the year.
Bankit (5-2 second choice in the betting behind odds-on speedster Not That Brady), got out of the gate cleanly and spent the first half mile of the New York Derby in the rear guard, as Not That Brady led the field through early splits of 23.35 and 47.42, pressed along by 39-1 longshot Almendro.
Navigating the clubhouse turn in the two-path, Bankit advanced into third along the backstretch as Not That Brady enjoyed a solo one-length lead.
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Blindwillie McTell took the first run at the leader in the far turn, but by the head of the stretch had company. Just Right made a bid at the fence, Bankit was looking to come between horses in the two path and Blindwillie McTell came widest of all. With three-sixteenths to go, the four stacked up across the track.
Just past the furlong marker, Bankit – undaunted by close quarters and some late-stage bumping – began to draw off as the quartet sorted themselves out.
Bankit drove clear, hitting the finish line a 1 1/4 length winner in a final time of 1:45.97. Not That Brady persisted, holding well to finish second, while 11-1 shot Just Right got third another half length back. Blindwillie McTell (5-2) completed the superfecta. [VIDEO REPLAY]
The New York Derby was originally scheduled to be run last Saturday, but the card was cancelled due to excessive heat.
Bred by Hidden Brook Farm, LLC in partnership with Blue Devil Racing, Bankit is the first foal and lone starter to date out of Sister in Arms, a Florida-bred mare by Colonel John. Blue Devil purchased the mare, as a Saratoga preferred yearling in 2012 for $125,000. She went on to win a pair of turf contests before moving on to broodmare duty. Since foaling Bankit, she has produced a juvenile colt by Awesome Again named Clifton Park and a yearling filly by Animal Kingdom. She did not bring her Hard Spun foal to term in 2019.
Bankit, who has now earned an impressive $468,625 in 12 starts from three wins, three seconds and a third, was well-received in two trips through the sales ring. As a yearling he brought $85,000 from SGV Thoroughbreds at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale. The following year he sold to Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC for $260,000 after turning in a furlong move in :10 2/5 at OBS March sale.
