Central Banker holds on to win Churchill Downs Stakes

As the horses came down the stretch in the Grade II, $464,800 Churchill Downs Stakes on Saturday, trainer Al Stall Jr. had a bout of déjà vu.

"Here we go again," he said, recalling the Grade I Malibu on Dec. 26 when his horse, ­4-year-old Central Banker, couldn't pass Shakin It Up in the last eighth of a mile and finished a half-length back.

This time Central Banker had the lead in the final furlong and held off repeated challenges from Shakin It Up to win by a head. He finished the seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:21.15.

"I just can't say enough about him," Stall said. "He's what you call a real racehorse. He's got nothing but fight in him."

In the immediate elation following the victory, he had choicer words to describe the son of Speightstown, who earned his first graded-stakes victory for owners Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence.

"He's a tough son of a (gun)," Stall said. "If you can print that, print it."

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, aboard Shakin It Up, thought he had the race measured.

"The horse on the lead just didn't stop and he kept running," Smith said. "I got to him and I just couldn't put him away."

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Central Banker paid $23.60 to win. Clearly Now, ridden by Javier Castellano, finished 1¾ lengths back in third.

Sahara Sky, the 5-2 favorite, finished seventh.

Delaunay, last year's Churchill Downs winner, dueled with Falling Sky through an opening quarter in 22.29 seconds and the half-mile in 44:67. Central Banker stalked the early leaders three wide as Shakin It Up prepared his outside move midway through the turn.

Central Banker drew even at the quarter pole and took the lead as Delaunay began to fade, finishing fifth. Shakin It Up drew even with Central Banker in the final sixteenth before Central Banker surged in the last 100 yards for his fourth victory in 12 starts. He earned $270,885.

Central Banker made his 2014 debut in the Grade I Carter at Aqueduct on April 5, breaking from the rail and finishing sixth. His next target is the Metropolitan Mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard, one of the country's most prestigious middle-distance races.

"I'm sure the Met is going to be in our schedule," Stall said. "It's five weeks from today, and that's his timing."

Stall, a New Orleans native who is a Kentucky regular for top client Claiborne Farm, could think of only one outcome that would be sweeter on the first Saturday in May.

"We've had some good luck on Derby Day, and it doesn't get much better than this," he said. "Well, there's one race on Derby Day that's better than this, but this is great."