Veteran Red Knight rallies to take the Man o' War Stakes
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ELMONT, N.Y. – Nearly two years after giving indications he didn’t want to race anymore, the 9-year-old New York-bred gelding Red Knight became a Grade 1 winner Saturday, rallying from last under Irad Ortiz Jr. to win the $600,000 Man o’ War Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park.
In a five-horse photo for second, Soldier Rising prevailed by a head over 50-1 Strong Tide. Following him in the photo were Howe Street, favored Warren Point, and Channel Maker. It was farther back to Verstappen and Value Engineering.
The win was the 12th from 34 starts for Red Knight, seventh in a stakes, and first in a Grade 1.
In September 2021, after 27 starts, Red Knight “was played out” according to Tom Egan, who owns and bred Red Knight under the banner Trinity Farm. Egan sent the horse to horseman Chad Stewart in Ocala, Fla., for 90 days of turn out.
When Red Knight resumed training, Stewart told Egan he didn’t think Red Knight wanted to be a racehorse anymore. Egan asked for one more week. Got the same response.
After a second week, Egan said Stewart told him, ‘Tom, he wants to be a racehorse.’ ” Egan said.
Egan reached out to trainer Mike Maker, who has a history of success with older turf runners. Maker competed several times against Red Knight and was happy to take the horse, previously trained by Bill Mott.
In July 2022, off an 11-month layoff, Red Knight won the Colonial Cup at Colonial Downs. He has since won stakes at Kentucky Downs and, in January, the Grade 3 William McKnight at Gulfstream.
Red Knight comes from off the pace and in the Man o’ War he was, under Irad Ortiz Jr., in the back of the pack, inside race favorite Warren Point, under Frankie Dettori.
Channel Maker and Strong Tide set a pedestrian pace of 1:15.06 for six furlongs. Dettori moved Warren Point closer to the pace midway down the backside and Ortiz followed that move, though he kept a strong hold of his horse entering the far turn.
In upper stretch, Warren Point came up outside of Strong Tide and Channel Maker, but never got past them. Meanwhile, Ortiz let Red Knight roll and he took over inside the sixteenth pole, edging away late.
“My horse is a big horse, huge stride, it was in my mind to let him go a little earlier but I was stuck there,” Ortiz said. “By the five-eighths pole, Frankie’s horse started to pick it up a little bit, I tried to follow him. My horse was doing it easy so I don’t get in his way. By the quarter pole he was already in his stride, I bide my time and tip him out and he just do the rest.”
Red Knight, by Pure Prize, covered the 1 3/8 miles in 2:13.74 and returned $12.80 as the 5-1 second choice. He was given a 97 Beyer Speed Figure.
Warren Point needed a lot of help to get to the gate. He wore a hood in the paddock that was removed before he stepped on the track. He was blindfolded and had a Monty Roberts blanket over his hind quarters just to get in the gate. The blindfold and blanket came off when the gates opened, and Warren Point broke last.
Dettori said the horse was simply too rank and was compromised by the slow pace.
Red Knight could be a candidate for the Grade 1 Manhattan on June 10, but that would mean running back in four weeks after running this race in three weeks.
“We wheeled him back a little quicker than we would have liked to day, but it paid off,” Maker told NYRA publicity. “Having said that, if he tells us he wants to run there then we’ll be there.”
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