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Evergreen New York-bred Red Knight set for Breeders’ Cup Turf

by NYRA Press Office

• Evergreen New York-bred Red Knight set for Breeders’ Cup Turf
• McGaughey to saddle Pleasant Passage and Battle of Normandy in search of Breeders’ Cup glory 
• Dancing Buck points to $150K Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship
• Dr B eyes start in G3 Go for Wand Handicap
• Multiple graded stakes-placed High Opinion to be offered at Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale 

Tom Egan’s Trinity Farm homebred Red Knight has taken his owner to eight racetracks in six seasons of racing, earning over $1.2 million with two graded stakes triumphs. The 8-year-old New York-bred son of Pure Prize will now bring Egan to his first Breeders’ Cup as he takes on the Grade 1, $4 million Turf slated for Saturday at Keeneland Race Course. 

Trained by Mike Maker, Red Knight is 2-for-3 this year, scoring stakes victories in the Colonial Cup in July at Colonial Downs and Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup on September 10 at Kentucky Downs by a nose over multiple Grade 1-winner Gufo. Prior to the Colonial Cup, it had been nearly two years since Red Knight’s last victory, which came in the 2020 Grade 3 Sycamore going the Turf distance at Keeneland. Egan’s faith in his seasoned turf marathoner never wavered, and his patience was rewarded with two additional stakes placings before finding the winner’s circle again earlier this year. 

“The defeats make the victories even sweeter,” said Egan. “You have your defeats, but then you have your victories. He seems like a 2-year-old still. I’ve always heard that you get a good older horse and they’ll take you around the country. That’s what he’s done. Mike even thinks this boy can run as a 9-year-old.” 

Egan’s journey to the Breeders’ Cup began long before Red Knight was foaled, dating back to September of 2003 when he purchased the gelding’s dam, Isabel Away, for $60,000 at Keeneland. She raced 11 times with one win before retiring in 2007 to begin a broodmare career that saw her produce multiple stakes-winner Macagone in addition to Red Knight. 

“We bought her as a yearling in 2003 and it’s been a 20-year run,” said Egan. “We’ve accomplished far, far more than we ever imagined.”

Egan selected graded stakes-winning Phipps Stable homebred Pure Prize for Isabel Away’s 2010 foal named Birchwood Road, and bred her back to him to produce Red Knight in 2014. Egan said his choice was influenced by his history with John Russell, who trained for Phipps Stable for several years, and by Pure Prize’s breeding, being by Storm Cat and out of 1994 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Heavenly Prize. 

“In another lifetime, I wrote to four trainers and inquired about working at their barn. The only one who replied was John Russell. He said, ‘Yeah, come down to Hialeah and you can start.’ So, I always had an affinity for the Phipps Stable,” said Egan. “I was keenly aware of Pure Prize, and when I went to see him for the first time, I always look at a stallion in two ways: the body and then the legs. His body was fantastic and fit our mare. He’s by Storm Cat, and he’s out of a Phipps line mare who was a champion. What more do you need, other than a lot of luck?” 

Red Knight took up training in Florida as a 2-year-old before shipping up to Saratoga to begin serious preparations with conditioner Michelle Nihei. There, he impressed both Egan and his conditioner. 

“From the very beginning, we thought he was something – we knew he was a very good runner,” said Egan. “He had a workout as a 2-year-old at Saratoga on the grass. The rider got on the phone with Michelle and said, ‘This horse can run.’ She said, ‘Yeah, we’ve known this for three months.’ It was just a question of keeping him together and happy.”

By June of 2017, Red Knight had moved to the care of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, winning five of his first seven outings before earning his first stakes victory in the 2018 H. Allen Jerkens going two miles at Gulfstream Park under the guidance of Luis Saez. Saez went on to pilot him twice more to close runner-up finishes in the 2019 Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland and 2020 Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs. 

Saez has the call aboard Red Knight on Saturday for the first time since the Kentucky Turf Cup. 

“I’m very happy with Luis,” said Egan. “He’s ridden Red three times and won once with two seconds, which were no fault of his or Red. Sometimes those are the circumstances of the race. He has ridden him perfectly.” 

Red Knight will be one of four New York-breds at the Breeders’ Cup, and Egan said it is an honor to represent the program. 

“It is really special,” said Egan. “I still consider New York my home base. We just saw Red this morning and he does not seem 8-years-old. He’s full of life. He’s amazing.” 

The Breeders’ Cup will be Red Knight’s 31st start as he looks to add an elusive Grade 1 triumph to a resume that boasts 10 victories and two triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures. 

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McGaughey to saddle Pleasant Passage and Battle of Normandy in search of Breeders’ Cup glory

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will have two strong contenders Friday at Keeneland when he sends out Pleasant Passage in the Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies Turf and Battle of Normandy in the Grade 1 Juvenile Turf as he looks to secure his 10th career Breeders’ Cup score.

Emory A. Hamilton’s homebred Pleasant Passage is perfect through two starts at 1 1/16-miles on the turf, including a rallying maiden win over firm footing in August at Saratoga ahead of a frontrunning score under returning rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo over yielding going here.

“In her first start, she finished up good down on the inside,” McGaughey said. “I think the race really helped her and she trained really well up to the Miss Grillo. When she broke, it seemed like nobody else wanted the lead so Irad took it in his hands. She was good enough to hold off all challengers. She came out of that race good and has trained aggressively since then.”

Pleasant Passage has since worked a pair of bullet half-miles over the Belmont inner turf, including a 48.20 solo effort Saturday before shipping to Kentucky.

“She’s worked very well. She's a good work horse,” McGaughey said. “I brought her down here Saturday after she worked. She's trained every day and schooled in the paddock. All systems are go.”

The More Than Ready bay is out of the War Front mare Peaceful Passage, who is a half-sibling to multiple graded-stakes winner Hungry Island and graded-stakes winner Soaring Empire.

Ortiz, Jr. will have the call from Post 5 aboard Pleasant Passage, who is listed at 12-1 on the morning line.

West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing's Battle of Normandy was a last-out seventh in the Grade 2 Pilgrim on October 2 here in a 1 1/16-mile test contested over yielding going. 

The City of Light bay, a $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase, made his first two starts traveling 1 1/16-miles on the Spa turf. He graduated by 2 1/4-lengths in his August 6 debut ahead of a narrow neck defeat to Boppy O on August 31 in the Grade 3 With Anticipation. The third-place finisher of that event, Juvenile Turf-bound Andthewinneris, came back to win the Grade 2 Bourbon at Keeneland.

McGaughey said he drew a line through the Pilgrim effort.

“I think he didn't like the real soft turf. He's a big, heavy horse and I don't think he handled it,” McGaughey said. “It looks like it will be really firm here, so we're taking a chance. We think he's that kind. The horse that won the Bourbon here finished behind him in the With Anticipation at Saratoga and I think if it stays good and firm, they’ll know he’s in there.”

Battle of Normandy breezed a half-mile in company with Dripping Gold in 48.70 Saturday over the Belmont inner turf. He is out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Adorable Miss, who is a full-sister to graded-stakes winner Noble Beauty.

Jose Lezcano will guide Battle of Normandy from post 5 at a morning-line assessment of 20-1.

McGaughey will be represented locally on Friday by Andrew Rosen’s First to Act in the Grade 3, $150,000 Turnback the Alarm, a nine-furlong route for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

The 4-year-old Curlin bay enters from a distant runner-up effort to Nest in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Beldame here on October 9 where she pressed the pace of Travel Column and stayed on strong to complete the exacta by 5 1/2-lengths over Hybrid Eclipse.

First to Act has breezed back twice, including a bullet half-mile in 48.10 on October 22 over Big Sandy.

“I understand what we were up against last time with Nest, but I thought she'd run a bit better than she did,” McGaughey said. “She came out of it good and had good works.”

First to Act, out of the graded-stakes winning Giant’s Causeway mare First Passage, is a half-sibling to graded-stakes winner Berned. She graduated at second asking in April traveling a one-turn mile at the Big A and notched a 1 1/16-mile allowance score two starts later in July at Belmont Park ahead of a runner-up effort in her stakes debut in the nine-furlong Summer Colony.

McGaughey said First to Act is likely to have another prominent trip when she exits post 3 under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who was aboard for the maiden score.

“Going a distance of ground, she'll be laying closer,” McGaughey said. “We'll see how the race develops and take it from there.”

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Dancing Buck points to $150K Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship

J and N Stables and Diamond Stable's graded-stakes winning New York-bred Dancing Buck is pointed to the six-furlong $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship for 3-year-olds and upward on November 25.

Trainer Michelle Nevin opted not to ship the 4-year-old War Dancer gelding to Kentucky after he landed on the also-eligible list for Saturday's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Bred in the Empire State by J & N Stables, Dancing Buck has posted a career ledger of 14-6-3-1 for purse earnings of $431,770. But the talented dark bay has taken a significant step forward this year, besting winners in June at Belmont and in July at Saratoga ahead of a narrow nose defeat to Thin White Duke in the Lucky Coin on September 2 at the Spa.

Last out, Dancing Buck made every pole a winning one to make the grade in the six-furlong Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint at Belmont at the Big A. With Manny Franco up from post 7, Dancing Buck set splits of 23.19 seconds and 46.25 over the yielding going before drawing off to a comfortable five-length score over Voodoo Zip in a final time of 1:09.90. The winning effort garnered a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure. 

"Every step was a good one this year," Nevin said. "He kept climbing the ladder and got his first graded win."

 Dancing Buck has breezed back three times over the Belmont dirt training track, including a half-mile in 49 flat on Sunday.

"He's doing really well. I think he's really just matured," said Nevin.

Dancing Buck is out of the multiple stakes-placed Catienus mare Frivolous Buck.

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Dr B eyes start in G3 Go for Wand Handicap

Cash is King Racing and LC Racing’s Dr B, who finished a close second to Boston Post Road in the Pumpkin Pie on October 29 at Belmont at the Big A, could target a stretch out in distance in the Grade 3, $200,000 Go for Wand Handicap going one-mile on December 3 at Aqueduct. 

Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., Dr B earned a career-best 94 Beyer for her strong Pumpkin Pie effort that saw her rally from third-of-6 to come up just three-quarter lengths shy of Boston Post Road in the seven-furlong sprint. The 4-year-old Liam’s Map filly boasts two other stakes placings when a close second in an off-the-turf edition of the Blue Sparkler last year at Monmouth Park and the Roamin Rachel on October 3 at Parx Racing. 

“She came back very well,” Reid, Jr. said of the Pumpkin Pie effort. “We were very excited. That was a very good race for her. We thought she was going to run well, and she certainly backed us up on that. She seems to be getting better with every start. We’ve got an idea that a one-turn mile would be good. She finished well, so we’ve got our eye on the Go for Wand.” 

Dr B has kept good company in her three seasons of racing, soundly defeating eventual graded stakes winner Leader of the Band in an optional claimer last April at Parx and finishing a good second in an August optional claimer at Saratoga to next-out Grade 1 Ballerina winner Goodnight Olive, who is the morning line favorite for Saturday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland. 

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Multiple graded stakes-placed High Opinion to be offered at Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale

Woodford Racing and Team D’s High Opinion, who earned four graded stakes placings at NYRA tracks for conditioner Tony Dutrow, will be offered as Hip 68 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The daughter of Lemon Drop Kid is listed as a racing or broodmare prospect. 

“She’s a trier and a giver,” said Dutrow. “I just felt there was no point in going any further with her, so that’s where it’s at. She’s young and she accomplished a great deal against the best company. She’s in great shape and I hope the breeding business is as kind to her as the racing business was.” 

High Opinion, a 5-year-old dark bay mare, broke her maiden at third asking in October 2020 at Belmont Park before finishing second in the Winter Memories in her first stakes appearance one month later. She went on to finish a valiant second to Viadera in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga where she was nosed out at the wire. 

After a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Noble Damsel and third-place finish in the Grade 3 Beaugay at Belmont, High Opinion closed out her career with a stakes victory in the Neshaminy Match Series in June at Parx and a third-place finish in this year’s Ballston Spa. 

A $130,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, High Opinion is out of the winning More Than Ready mare More Respect, a full-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Tammy the Torpedo and a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Seek and Destroy.