Kings River Knight romping through California statebred stakes
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CYPRESS, Calif. - Kings River Knight may soon outgrow California-bred stakes.
On Saturday at Los Alamitos, Kings River Knight won his second consecutive stakes for statebreds in the $100,500 Bertrando Stakes for milers, leading throughout under jockey Juan Hernandez.
Kings River Knight finished in a sharp 1:35.31 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 96.
At Santa Anita on May 28, Kings River Knight used similar front-running tactics to win the Crystal Water Stakes for statebreds at a mile on turf.
Kings River Knight is scheduled to return to turf for his next start, in the $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes for statebreds at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 5.
The conditions are ideal for the 5-year-old gelding.
“We’ll keep him in that division for now,” trainer John Sadler said on Sunday.
Kings River Knight is a nose away from a three-race winning streak. He was beaten by that narrow margin by The Chosen Vron in a thrilling running of the Sensational Star Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on March 19 in his first start for Sadler.
“He’s the only one that ran The Chosen Vron very tight,” Sadler said.
Kings River Knight, who began his career in Northern California with trainer Andy Mathis, races for the partnership of the family of the late Bud Johnston, Integrity Thoroughbred Racing and Kenneth Tevelde.
Kings River Knight has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $296,260.
The Chosen Vron followed his win in the Sensational Star with a comfortable win by 5 1/2 lengths in the Thor’s Echo Stakes for statebred sprinters at six furlongs at Santa Anita on May 28, the 5-year-old gelding’s seventh consecutive stakes win since last September.
The nose margin in the Sensational Star is the closest anyone has come to beating The Chosen Vron during his winning streak.
The Chosen Vron, who worked a half-mile in 48 seconds on the infield training track at Santa Anita on Sunday, is scheduled to have his Grade 1 debut in his 17th start in the $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar on July 29.
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