Let Em Know eases Whitman's September pain with win in Pilgrim

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Whit Beckman had a forgettable September, winning three races from 27 starters. In a span of five minutes on the first Saturday of October, Beckman already has had an October to remember.

Beckman won two graded races in that five-minute span starting with Let Em Know, who bounced back from a tough-trip fifth in last month’s Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Pilgrim Stakes for 2-year-old turf males. As he was posing for the win photo in the Belmont Park winner’s circle, Beckman was glancing at his cell phone as he watched Regaled win the Grade 3, $500,000 Delaware Handicap for the second consecutive year.

“It’s been a rough September, I’m not going to lie,” Beckman said.

That October has gotten off to a good start is due in large part because Let Em Know got off to better start out of the gate under Edgard Zayas.

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Let Em Know was never more than 2 1/2 lengths off the pace established by And the Runner Is and Stock Rising. In the stretch, And the Runner Is retreated while Stock Rising kept on at least until the eighth pole, when Let Em Know confronted him and took control. As was the case in his neck maiden victory at Saratoga in August, Let Em Know held off a late run from Roscoe Goose, this time by a half-length to get the victory.

Roscoe Goose, making his second career start for trainer Riley Mott, was second by a half-length over Pass On By, who got third by a nose over Kipros.

Let Em Know was running back just three weeks after the Summer Stakes, a race in which Beckman felt Let Em Know had a difficult trip.

“Turf racing is such a trip-dependent race, but that inside post last time I think is what kept him from being at least a little bit better than what he showed in that race,” Beckman said. “I think he’s much more talented than that race reflected.

“I was a little nervous about the outside post [Saturday] because he hasn’t really broken well,” Beckman added. “Obviously, in the third start, he’s figuring it out. Edgard got him the perfect trip around. I just couldn’t be happier with the way he ran. . . . I knew if he got the trip, he’s got the talent.”

Let Em Know, a son of Jackie’s Warrior who brought $600,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales 2-year-old-in-training sale, covered the 1 1/16-miles in 1:42.15 over a firm Widener turf course and returned $27.48.

Kendrick Carmouche, on Roscoe Goose, identified Let Em Know as a major player in the Pilgrim and was trying to follow him before Kipros, ridden by Dylan Davis, carried him out a bit wide coming into the stretch.

“Dylan kind of wanted to get out and pushed me away from the horses in front of him,” Carmouche said. “I had to wait until my horse got back in gear. [Let Em Know] got away from me a little bit. I’m proud of this horse. The horse is a maiden and he still tried to catch the horse that beat him in Saratoga.”

By virtue of his Pilgrim victory, Let Em Know earned a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Oct. 30 at Keeneland, perhaps giving Beckman the chance to make October even more memorable.

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