Knicks Go now pointing for Met Mile
ELMONT, N.Y. – In addition to running potential favorite Essential Quality in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 5, trainer Brad Cox will have a select group of runners for some of the other 16 stakes to be run from June 3 through June 5 at Belmont Park.
Chief among them is Knicks Go, who has been rerouted from Monday’s Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star to the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 5.
“No Charlatan,” Cox texted when asked why the change of plans.
Charlatan, a multiple Grade 1 winner, was under consideration for the Met Mile before an unspecified issue took him out of training.
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Knicks Go won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last November and the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream in January. He has not raced since finishing fourth in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20. Charlatan finished second in that race.
Nominations for the Met Mile, which is a Win and Your'e In for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, were released on Sunday. Among those expected for the race are Mischevious Alex, Dr Post, Silver State, and Lexitonian. Possible runners include Ny Traffic and Rushie.
Cox is planning to run both Shedaresthedevil and Bonny South in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps, also on June 5. Shedaresthedevil won the Grade 1 La Troienne in her most recent start while Bonny South is coming off a victory in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland.
Travel Column, winner of the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks and fifth in the Kentucky Oaks, is scheduled to run in the Grade 1 Acorn on June 5.
Caddo River, winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes and runner-up in the Arkansas Derby, both at Oaklawn Park, will cut back to seven furlongs in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on June 5. Last year, Caddo River twice finished second in maiden races going seven furlongs at Belmont Park.
Kinenos, a winner of a 1 1/4-mile allowance here on April 29, is pointing to the Grade 2, $500,000 Belmont Gold Cup going two miles on June 4.