Pacific Classic Stakes (Grade 1)

THERE was always the sense that Knightsbridge could produce a dominant performance that would establish him as one of the top older horses in the US.

Seven wins from 11 starts was not a bad record but he still needed a Grade 1 and an impressive performance over a good field.

Saturday’s Pacific Classic Stakes certainly ticked those boxes.

The five-year-old son of Nyquist had only raced once at two and twice at three and his best run had been when second to Nysos in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap. But he had two furlongs further to go here and that was the question.

He was sent off at evens with Junior Alvarado back on board, Flavien Prat having ridden him to an impressive 10 and a half-length win in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup Stakes over nine furlongs last time out.

Despite distance concerns, the Godolphin runner went forward from his wide draw and took over from Full Serano past the stands first time.

The two then duelled down the back and the sectionals were fast, 23.17 for the first quarter, a hot 45.94 for the half mile and 1m 35.66secs for a mile.

On the final bend, Knightsbridge took it up as Full Serrano began to falter.

And putting to bed any stamina doubts, at least over this track, Knightsbridge kicked away from Full Serrano to turn the Classic into a procession.

The winner stopped the clock in 2m 2.28, and Knightsbridge was six and a quarter lengths clear of runner-up Original Sin, while Full Serrano tired late but still had enough to take third ahead of the fast-finishing filly Om N Joy.

Japanese runner Finger, the Tokyo Derby winner making his US debut, ran last as the third choice.

“I felt him kind of quicken a little bit more. When he did that, I knew he’d already run the horses behind him off their feet. All I needed from there was a little burst to get me to the wire.” Alvarado said.

Mott was in Saratoga Springs but spoke to Blood-Horse: “Going as fast as they did today, they’ve got a licence to back up. Then he put them away, and the farther they went, the more he opened up. Now I’m going to have trouble going back to sleep.”

Mott had brought champion Cigar to the Pacific Classic in 1996 in search of a 17th consecutive win, only to be caught by Dare And Go in the late stages after a speed duel with Siphon.

Alvarado, who had earlier steered Tam Tam to win the Del Mar Oaks, said: “Mr Mott would keep asking me, ‘Can he go two turns? Can he go two turns?’ I didn’t want to change anything up or tell him he could and be wrong. Then he eventually decided to stretch him out.”

The immediate praise for the winner was put into a bit more perspective when he was given a 104 Beyer speed figure, lower than he achieved last time.

Mott also trains the owner’s Breeders’ Cup Classic favourite Sovereignty so it remains to be seen if the Dirt Mile might be his target come the end of October at Keeneland.

Del Mar Oaks

There was Irish connections in the other Grade 1, the Del Mar Oaks, with the former Fozzy Stack-trained Kensington Lane and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Green Carrera.

The two raced in different paths, the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks winner Kensington Lane took the lead through a leisurely opening first quarter of 24.14secs with Green Carrera at the back.

The race went to Tam Tam, trained by Phil Bauer for private owner Rigney Racing. The Medaglia d’Oro filly had graded form on the east coast without contesting a Grade 1.

Kensington Lane led by over a length through a half mile as Tam Tam moved up on the far turn, drawing within half a length. Once straightened up, Junior Alvarado set her forward. It took a few strides to head the leader, but then she drew clear, and held a late bid from longshot Lookin At Diamond. Green Carrera made ground from the back to come into contention but Kensington Lane held her for third by a head.

Gun’s Loaded shoots ahead

Alabama Stakes Presented by Keeneland Sales (Grade 1)

SARATOGA has the tag ‘Graveyard of Champions’ and there is invariably a shock result each year to remind you of the racetracks’s reputation. Counting Stars was the latest victim - she was on a Grade 1 hat-trick bid having won the Acorn and the Coaching Club American Oaks coming into the Grade 1 Alabama Presented by Keeneland Sales.

Counting Stars had the run of the race, on the lead off a steady pace, but turning into the straight, she had nothing to offer as Chad Brown’s My Gun’s Loaded, who was having only her fourth race and never ran in graded company, engaged in battle and shefought on to record a neck win over Mark Casse’s second runner, Measure, with Counting Stars a length and a half back in third.

Unexpectedly

The winner had one run for Steve Asmussen last year and Brown said. “Sometimes things work out and you have a horse land in your barn unexpectedly and they turn out to be a good one. We’re very appreciative of Mr (Douglas) Scharbauer and his team. They brought a nice filly here and trusted us and it’s all worked out.”