Silver Knott just unwinding going long
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A little more distance appears to have made Silver Knott a lot better horse. Sunday, the 4-year-old gelding goes for his third straight marathon turf stakes success in as many tries this year when he looms a short price in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga.
Winless last year in six starts – five in North America – for Newmarket-based trainer Charlie Appleby, Silver Knott this year has won the Grade 2 Elkhorn going 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland in April and three weeks later the Grade 2 Man o’ War going 1 3/8 miles at Aqueduct.
Silver Knott has joined his more accomplished stablemates Measured Time and Nations Pride, the one-two finishers in the Grade 1 Manhattan here last month, to give Appleby quite the lineup in the marathon turf division. In the stretch of the Man o’ War, Silver Knott ran away from Nations Pride, who was already a multiple Grade 1 winner in North America.
“This year you’ve really seen a big step forward from him going out in trip,” said Chris Connett, the Saratoga-based assistant to Appleby. “It was nice to see him finish off his race like he did against some really nice horses. Nations Pride came out of that race and ran a good race in the Manhattan against Measured Time and it gives you confidence going forward from there.”
And it gives Appleby options for the upcoming Grade 1 middle-distance marathon turf stakes coming up, such as the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs on Aug. 10 and the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. 24.
Silver Knott has the tactical speed to put himself into the race under Flavien Prat. The pace dynamic is likely to change as trainer Mark Casse said Friday he plans to scratch Strong Quality from the Bowling Green to run in the Grade 1 Fourstardave on Aug. 10.
Sugoi, another in a long line of horses trainer Mike Maker has turned from claimer into graded stakes winner, could be the primary speed in the Bowling Green. In April, Maker, claimed the 7-year-old Sugoi for $50,000 out of a 1 1/16-mile dirt race at Keeneland. A month later, Sugoi upset the Grade 3 Louisville going 1 1/2 miles on turf at Churchill Downs at 19-1. Last month, in the Chorleywood Stakes, also at Churchill, Sugoi was overtaken late by Webslinger and beaten a half-length.
“He was a horse that I got outshook on a time or two. We liked him and he had good numbers,” Maker said. “I liked how game he was running at Turfway stretched out. I thought if he could go a mile and quarter over there, give him a shot at a mile and a half and mile and three-eighths.”
Soldier Rising returns from an eight-month layoff in the Bowling Green. Last year, he finished second in five of six starts – including four Grade 1 turf stakes on this circuit.
His lone off-the-board finish came in the Bowling Green when he had a tough trip, bumping with Rebel’s Romance when that horse clipped heels with a horse in front of him and fell. Soldier Rising ultimately finished seventh in a race where he ran for purse money only because he had inadvertently been listed as a scratch.
Soldier Rising has run well off lengthy layoffs in the past, including a runner-up finish in the 2023 Man o’ War off a six-month freshening.
“I think he’s pretty fit,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “He’s an older horse, he knows the game. I don’t think you have to be too aggressive. When they reach a certain age, just keep them happy and they’ll do the rest.”
Jose Ortiz rides Solider Rising from post 5.
Ohana Honor comes into the Bowling Green off a second to Silver Knott in the Man o’ War and a dead heat for third in the Manhattan behind Measured Time.
Strong Tide, second in the Louisville and third in the Grade 2 Wise Dan, and English Conqueror, a second-level allowance winner at Aqueduct on June 16, complete the field.
The Bowling Green goes as race 9 on a 10-race card that begins at 1:10 p.m.
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