Kings River Knight following a familiar route into Bertrando Stakes

It was at this time two years ago that Kings River Knight’s career took off.

A 5-year-old in 2023, Kings River Knight won the Crystal Water Stakes for California-bred turf milers at Santa Anita in May of that year and the Bertrando Stakes for statebred milers on dirt a month later at Los Alamitos.

Those were the first two of his seven stakes wins, a tally expected to increase when Kings River Knight starts as a heavy favorite in Saturday’s $100,000 Bertrando Stakes at Los Alamitos.

The Bertrando Stakes will be Kings River Knight’s third start of the year. He was sixth of seven in the Sensational Star Stakes for statebred turf sprinters at Santa Anita in March in his first start in 10 months and followed with a win in the Crystal Water Stakes on May 24 for the third consecutive year.

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Any doubt about whether Kings River Knight could be as effective at 7 as he was earlier in his career ended in the Crystal Water.

“He’s not a spring chicken at this point,” trainer John Sadler said. “He just needed some time off.”

In the Crystal Water, Kings River Knight led throughout, pulling clear by 3 1/2 lengths at 1-5. He could be an equally short price against six rivals Saturday.

Kings River Knight has won 11 of 18 starts and earned $710,330 for the partnership of Kenneth Tevelde, the family of the late Bud Johnston, and Integrity Thoroughbred Racing. He is unbeaten in two starts at Los Alamitos.

“He’s just a good, hard-knocking horse,” Sadler said. “He’s a cool Cal-bred.”

Kings River Knight is one of three stakes winners in the Bertrando field, along with Freeport Joe, an 8-year-old gelding who won the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate Fields in 2021; and Royal ’n Rando, who won the Silky Sullivan Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds on turf at Golden Gate Fields in 2022.

They will be longshots on Saturday. Freeport Joe was fifth in the Crystal Water Stakes on May 24. Royal ’n Rando was third in an allowance race at a mile in which he was eligible to be claimed for $20,000 on May 17 at Santa Anita.

Aside from Kings River Knight, the only runner in the field with a last-race win is Mr. Disrespectful, a 5-year-old gelding who led throughout a starter allowance at a mile on turf on May 9 at Santa Anita. Mr. Disrespectful has won three times in his career, always setting the pace.

Kings River Knight often leads but is effective from a stalking position. He was second through the first half-mile of the 2023 E.B. Johnston Stakes at a mile at Los Alamitos before winning by two lengths.

Cowboy Mike, a five-time winner, could be part of the early pace though trainer Tim Yakteen acknowledges beating Kings River Knight will be difficult.

“John’s horse will be tough,” he said. “We’ll give it a shot.”

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