Sunday, March 25, 2018
Live Oak Plantation's homebred 3-year-old He's Bankable prevailed in the $100,000 Sophomore Turf S. March 25 at Tampa Bay Downs by the narrowest of margins, gamely winning a head-bob finish by a nose over March to the Arch.
It was the first stakes start and win for the son of Arch-Slewfoundmoney, who had broken his maiden Dec. 29 on the Gulfstream Park turf course.
He's Bankable took the lead soon after the start of the 1 1/16-mile contest, but was never more than a length up on Coop Tries Harder through the first six furlongs, which went in 1:11.17. In the stretch, March to the Arch took up the chase, with the two locked together in the final furlong before He's Bankable hit the wire first in 1:41.29.
The winner upped his lifetime earnings to $106,991. His dam was a two-time stakes winner and has produced multiple graded stakes winner Awesome Slew, as well as Souper Lucky, who has earned over $300,000 and placed in four stakes.