Blacktype repeats in Knickerbocker Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Neither a short turnaround nor a strong opponent could prevent Blacktype from winning the Grade 3, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes for the second consecutive year at Belmont Park on Monday.

Hard used by Joel Rosario to attain his customary spot in the front of the field, Blacktype led throughout and held off the Grade 1 winner Hi Happy by a neck at the finish. Hi Happy was second by 1 3/4 lengths over Inspector Lynley.

Revved Up, Night Prowler, and Aquaphobia completed the order of finish.

The victory not only gave Blacktype his second straight Knickerbocker, but gave his trainer, Christophe Clement, his seventh victory in this race. Clement first won the Knickerbocker in 1993.

Acknowledging Blacktype’s affinity for Belmont Park, Clement decided to wheel the 7-year-old gelding back just 11 days after he won an allowance race here. The Knickerbocker became more difficult when trainer Todd Pletcher entered Hi Happy, who won the Grade 1 Man o’ War here in the summer. Pletcher had scratched Hi Happy from the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on Sept. 29 owing to soft turf.

In the Knickerbocker, Rosario had to use Blacktype a bit early to get the lead over Night Prowler and Hi Happy.

He was able to open a length lead after a quarter in 24.00 seconds and maintained that advantage through a half in 47.45 and six furlongs in 1:11.27 over an inner turf course labeled good.

Hi Happy, under Luis Saez, stalked Blacktype from second, made a run at him through the stretch but could never catch him.

Blacktype, who won for the 12th time in 36 starts - and seventh from 15 races at Belmont - covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.35 and returned $9.50 as the second choice.

“I was a little worried he had to go by [Night Prowler and Hi Happy], I did not want to use him too much,” Clement said. “He said he was running very well in the backstretch. It worked out.”

It was the third stakes win of the weekend for Clement, who also took Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Hill Prince with Have At it and the $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational with Disco Partner.

Clement said Blacktype would likely point to the Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 10.

Though Hi Happy was beaten, trainer Todd Pletcher was encouraged with the performance considering it was at a distance shorter than his best. Pletcher said Hi Happy could still be considered for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

“I thought he ran very well for a horse that’s probably better at a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half,” Pletcher said. “He sort of ran out of real estate. But it looks like he’s back in form, handled the course pretty well. I’ll talk to the connections and see if the Breeders’ Cup is in play.”