After impressive debut, Knock It Off favored in sprint

Knock It Off will be an odds-on favorite to win his second race from two starts when he faces no more than six foes in Friday’s featured sixth race, a 3-year-old restricted first-level sprint allowance with a $125,000 claiming option that none of the entrants will run under.

Knock It Off aced his Jan. 17 debut, leading wire to wire and running six furlongs in 1:09.47, good for an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. Runner-up Trouble Calling validated the performance with a blowout maiden sprint win this past Saturday that yielded a 91 Beyer.

Trainer Steve Asmussen had hoped to run Knock It Off, a son of Vekoma, in a two-turn, first-level allowance, but that race failed to fill. Rather than trying older horses in a route, connections opted for a second sprint.

“This might put him in line for something like the Lafayette at Keeneland,” said Asmussen, referring to a seven-furlong race on April 3.

◗ Fair Grounds, a Churchill Downs Inc. property, announced Tuesday the addition of two Monday racing programs, on March 9 and March 16, to its ongoing meet. The added dates, according to a press release, were “inspired by the strong performance of purse sources.”

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