Measured Time, Silver Knott pack powerful 1-2 punch in Sword Dancer
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The sensational summer in the United States enjoyed by trainer Charlie Appleby and Godolphin Racing is likely to include one more Grade 1 stakes victory in Saratoga when the potent team sends out Measured Time and Silver Knott in Saturday’s $750,000 Sword Dancer Stakes.
In the United States, Appleby and Godolphin have won 12 graded turf stakes with eight horses so far in 2024. It’d be hard to argue any performance was more impressive than Measured Time’s two-length victory in the Grade 1 Manhattan here June 8.
Breaking from the outside post in the eight-horse field under William Buick, Measured Time was last for a few strides out of the gate. With slight urging from Buick, Measured Time galloped toward the front. Under a hold, Measured Time galloped just outside of Strong Quality for the opening six furlongs.
On his own, Measured Time took the lead at the five-sixteenths pole. He wandered some turning for home, seemingly allowing the competition to get back into the race. But with three taps of Buick’s right-handed whip, Measured Time ran away from the field and galloped out like a horse who will relish more distance as did his brother Rebel’s Romance, the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner. The Manhattan was 1 3/16 miles, whereas the Sword Dancer will be run at 1 1/2 miles. The Sword Dancer offers a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
“Will couldn’t get him pulled up,” Chris Connett, assistant to Appleby, said of Measured Time. “His work rider, Michael Metcalfe, he’s very confident in him and he’s ridden some really nice horses down the years. We’re positive [distance] won’t be an issue.”
Nations Pride, another Godolphin/Appleby runner, finished second in the Manhattan and came back to win the Grade 1 Arlington Million. Al Riffa, who finished sixth in the Manhattan, has come back to finish second in the Group 1 Coral Eclipse in England and then recently won the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in Germany.
Buick rides Measured Time from post 2.
Silver Knott has seemed to improve stretching out in distance, posting three graded wins in North America at 1 3/8 miles or farther. He won the Grade 2 Elkhorn going 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland in April, followed by victories in a pair of Grade 2 races, the Man o’ War at Aqueduct and Bowling Green here in July, the latter two races at 1 3/8 miles.
“Stepping up to 1 1/2 miles we’ve seen that improvement out of him,” Connett said. “He deserves his place in a race like this. He’s done all the hard graft to get there. It’d be nice to step him back up into Group 1 company.”
Flavien Prat rides Silver Knott from post 4.
Trainer Christophe Clement entered two in the Sword Dancer but on Saturday morning he scratched Soldier Rising from the race. Clement said he was not 100 percent happy with how Soldier Rising was doing on Saturday morning, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he didn’t like.
“We know the horse well, we’ll turn the page and go to the next race.” Clement said.
Far Bridge dead-heated for third with Ohana Honor in the Manhattan and then finished ninth, beaten four lengths by Get Smokin’ in the Grade 2 United Nations.
“He’s got a lot of talent, he’s a touch tricky to ride because he’s not consistent,” said Clement, who has Joel Rosario to ride.
Grand Sonata has just one win from his last his last 16 starts, though that win came exactly one year ago in an allowance race here. In those last 16 starts, he has four second-place finishes including a nose loss to Get Smokin’ in the U.N. last out.
“I thought he ran great in the U.N., just missed,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Pretty versatile horse, has run well at multiple distances. Mile-and-a-half suits him well.”
Trainer Linda Rice said earlier in the week she was planning to scratch Pioneering Spirit from the Sword Dancer, but as of 9:30 a.m. she had not done so. Rice had said she was planning to run in the Bernard Baruch on Sept. 1.
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