Not This Time’s Giocoso became racing’s newest millionaire with his thrilling victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Commonwealth Turf S. (G3) at Churchill Downs.
The dark bay 3-year-old is Not This Time’s 25th stakes winner of 2025, the most for any sire standing in North America.
Trained by Keith Desormeaux for Rocker O Ranch LLC, Giocoso was under some restraint early while three-wide around the first turn. He continued stay well off the fence down the backstretch and was some eight lengths from the leaders going into the final bend. With all but one horse in front of him turning for home, Jose Ortiz took Giocoso out to the center of the turf course, where he unleashed a furious rally to pass Chapman’s Peak in the final 50 yards.
The official margin was a neck, with a time of 1:41.47 for the 1 1/16-miles on the firm turf.
“It was a little anxious moment down the stretch but the good horses know how to get the job done,” Desormeaux said. “Jose was able to get him to relax down the backside and I was blessed to have a jockey that used his skills to do that and we got the job done.”
Winner of the Secretariat S. (G2) in August, Giocoso is now 4-2-2 in 13 starts and has earned $1,119,971.
Giocoso was bred in Kentucky by Breed First, LLC.
