Program Trading catches Thundering in final strides of Knickerbocker Stakes
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Favored Program Trading collared the 35-1 outsider Thundering in the final strides to land the 65th running of the $175,000 Knickerbocker Stakes under Dylan Davis on Saturday at Belmont.
Thundering went straight to the lead under Jorge Ruiz in the 1 3/16-mile turf route and got away with soft fractions while being pressed by West Hollywood on the backstretch.
Program Trading ($3.70) raced inside of Cugino while they tracked the leaders and then loomed boldly at the head of the lane. Thundering held the lead through the stretch before Program Trading surged late along the rail to prevail by neck, in a time of 1:56.47 over the firm ground.
Cugino, the 3-1 second choice, came on late to finish three-quarters of a length back of Thundering in third. A Bourbon for Toby, Carson’s Run, and Tiz Dashing completed the order of finish. Ole Crazy Bone and Carcano were withdrawn.
Program Trading earned $96,250 for Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown, who has won the Knickerbocker three times. Bred in Great Britain, the 6-year-old son of top European sire Lope de Vega was dropping out of graded stakes.
“There wasn’t a lot of speed in here and from the one-hole, I wanted to break the best I could, stay straight and save that ground,” Davis said. “Even though they slowed it down, I was in a good spot. I rode the rail the whole second turn and Ruiz ended up having quite a bit of horse and opened up that inside spot. I had some options – inside, outside – they ended up drifting out late there and creating that gap. Man, he was tough to run down.”
Jorge Ruiz said the plan was to make the lead and hope for the best.
“I mentioned to the trainer that maybe we go to the lead - the other speed scratched,” Ruiz said. “I went to the lead and went slowly, but maybe (West Hollywood) put the pressure on too early…Maybe if he doesn’t pressure me, we win the race.”
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