Knightsbridge towers over rivals in Gulfstream Park Mile
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – On a Fountain of Youth Day program loaded with wide-open races sure to have handicappers scratching their heads trying to separate a multitude of contenders, there is one oasis, one race with one horse who appears to tower over the competition – the $225,000 Gulfstream Park Mile and multiple Grade 3 winner Knightsbridge.
A field of only six older horses was drawn for the Gulfstream Park Mile, with Mika, runner-up in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile in his 3-year-old finale, given the best chance of springing the upset should odds-on Knightsbridge not live up to expectations. The race has a similar feel to it as a year ago when won by the 1-10 favorite Mindframe.
Knightsbridge will try to complete a trifecta for sweeping all three one-turn Grade 3 stakes decided during the Gulfstream Park Championship meet. He has already dominated both the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector and one-mile Fred Hooper by identical margins of 4 3/4 lengths at odds of 1-5 and 4-5, respectively. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 104 in the Mr. Prospector and then improved that to a career-best 105 while geared down some by regular rider Junior Alvarado during the latter stages of the Hooper.
Knightsbridge, a Godolphin homebred trained by Bill Mott, is well drawn on the outside in post 6. He will carry high weight of 125 pounds under the allowance conditions of the race while conceding four to six pounds to his five seemingly overmatched rivals.
“He’s been super,” Mott said shortly after the race was drawn last weekend. “His career kind of mirrors that of Speaker’s Corner, who also gained momentum after coming down here in the winter.”
Speaker’s Corner captured both the Gulfstream Park Mile and the Hooper here in 2022 in relatively easy fashion, using those victories as a stepping-stone to a decisive victory in the Grade 1 Carter later that spring at Aqueduct. Mott has won the Gulfstream Park Mile four times, including with the mighty Cigar when the event was known as the Gulfstream Park Handicap and still decided at 1 1/4 miles in 1995.
“Hopefully, we can manage to get this one under his belt as well after which there are some big races in front of us going seven furlongs and a mile down the road,” Mott added while mentioning the Carter as one of those options.
Mika will be looking to rebound from a disappointing effort in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup when finishing a well-beaten ninth after failing to show his best speed during the early stages of the race. In his previous start, Mika led for all but the closing yards before being beaten a neck by Bishops Bay in the Cigar Mile. That outing was his first after rejoining trainer Mike Maker’s barn almost immediately following a 14-length allowance victory at Laurel Park for former trainer Brittany Russell.
“We were disappointed in the Pegasus, but he lost ground on both turns and I think a one-turn mile is more his game,” Maker said. “Before that, I felt we were just unlucky to lose the Cigar Mile.”
Mika has a similar front-running style to Knightsbridge and will be breaking just inside the heavy favorite.
“I’d be comfortable stalking, but I think the owner likes to let him do his thing,” Maker added.
Mika will receive a six-pound concession from Knightsbridge and have Flavien Prat aboard for the first time.
Steal Sunshine, who got within 1 1/4 lengths of Mindframe when second best in this race last winter, will try his luck again Saturday with a new wrinkle added. Trainer Bobby Dibona is putting blinkers back on the 7-year-old veteran for the first time since his third-place finish in the Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth Park in August 2023.
Bernin Hot, Classic of Course, and Flying Liam complete the compact lineup.
– additional reporting by David Grening
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