Knightsbridge gets first two-turn try in Monmouth Cup
:quality(75))
Knightsbridge dominated three straight Grade 3 races at Gulfstream Park over the winter to become one of the foremost dirt runners in the country, but he has endured a more challenging gauntlet since returning in May. The trials will continue when he stretches out to 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 3, $350,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes on Saturday.
“We’ve always wanted to try him around two turns,” trainer Bill Mott said. “I think we’re just experimenting a little bit, trying to see how he’ll do. I just have to run him and find out, but I think we’ve always been anxious. He’s won going a mile, but we’ve never run him around two turns before.”
Following his string of success in Florida, which culminated in an 11 1/4-length victory and 112 Beyer Speed Figure in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Mile, Knightsbridge finally took the next step in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs in May. He flashed his usual early speed but quickly faded to sixth in the deep field.
Mott said he was happy to see his Godolphin-owned star back to his usual self in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga last month. He had the misfortune of running into Nysos, however, who soundly defeated him by four lengths.
“I thought he ran his butt off,” Mott said. “He ran into a good horse. I think our horse is a very nice horse and, of course, Nysos is well thought of as well. I make no excuses for the race. We were just second best.”
Mott might be dropping Knightsbridge back down to Grade 3 company on Saturday, but the trainer said success around two turns would expand his horizons going forward.
Only six older males entered in the Monmouth Cup, effectively clearing the way for Knightsbridge to square off with the ever resilient Skippylongstocking, who will be going for his 13th graded stakes victory for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Often relegated to the second tier among the nation’s best on dirt, Skippylongstocking finally got his day when he closed to win the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream in January. He dominated in the Grade 3 Essex Handicap next time out and finished a neck behind Corporate Power in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs in May.
Joseph also entered Alexander Helios, a 6-year-old who has disappointed in four straight starts since winning the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap in February 2025.
Money Game, an undefeated 4-year-old colt trained by Brad Cox, will make his long-awaited stakes debut after a slew of setbacks repeatedly sent him to the shelf. He has gritted his way to three high-level allowance victories since May 2025, most recently shipping to Saratoga for a photo-finish win last month.
“We’ve had a bump in the road here and there, but he’s a very good horse and I think that the mile and an eighth is something in his favor,” Cox said.
Last-out allowance runners Kinetic and Sergeant Capps complete the field.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.