Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
By Sarah Mace
Trinity Farm homebred Red Knight burst onto the scene last December 29 when he won the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes, a 2-mile turf marathon, at Gulfstream Park. Since then, the 5-year-old Pure Prize gelding has collected a pair of solid seconds in the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland and off-the-turf Johns Call at the Spa, but another stakes win has been elusive.
Red Knight changed that storyline at Belmont on Sunday when he got a second black-type photo-op after winning the $100,000 Point of Entry Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile turf contest for 3-year-olds and up over the Widener.
As often happens at marathon distances, it took the seven Point of Entry jockeys a little while to stake out their positions for the chess match to come. It wasn’t until field approached the clubhouse turn that stretch-out sprinter Paret (22-1) assumed the lead and, by the backstretch, widened his advantage to four lengths.
Behind Paret the field split into the two groups. Four in front opened up eight lengths on a second flight, which was led at the rail by 5-2 Red Knight. Historically tending to get rank in the early stages of a long race, on this occasion he appeared to rate kindly.
After the field moved into closer order by the approach to the far turn, Red Knight advanced into fourth between horses in the bend. Angling out three-wide at the head of the lane, and perfectly in the clear, the chestnut was set down vigorously for the drive by jockey Junior Alvarado, whose early tactics had been a model of patience.
Steadily eroding the pacesetter’s advantage, Red Knight reached the lead about a sixteenth from home and carried his momentum to the wire for a 1 1/2-length win.
Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Paret held second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Pillar Mountain, one of two Todd Pletcher-trained runners in the Point of Entry and the 2-1 post time favorite. Manitoulin followed more than four lengths back in fourth. Carlino, Arrocha and Noble Indy completed the order of finish. After a mile in 1:38.29, the final time for 12 furlongs was 2:25.94.
Red Knight’s second stakes victory improved his record to seven wins from 17 starts with four seconds and a third and he has earned $486,258.
“I broke good,” said Junior Alvarado. “We sat in a perfect position and it was a good trip. Halfway around there, the field started slowing down a little bit up front. My horse got a little excited and he probably thought it was time to go. He got a little keen. I was able to loosen the reins and he calmed back down for me. When I moved to the outside heading into the stretch he responded very well.”
Alvarado continued, “This is the perfect distance for him. He was born to run this type of race. Everything matches perfect for him – his style and his build to be successful at this type of race, to run a mile and a half.”
Bill Mott, for his part, concurred and was pleased with the gelding’s demeanor. “The mile and a half is good for him,” said the Hall of Famer. “He’s coming out of some graded races, so the class relief probably helped him a little bit. I was pleased that he wasn’t rank. Sometimes he can pull a little bit, but he was off the bridle early and saving his energy.”
Red Knight, who was foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia, is one of five winners and the second foal to earn black type out of the late Isabel Away, a winning daughter of Skip Away who was purchased by Trinity Farm’s Thomas and Jaye Egan for $60,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Isabel Away’s third foal, New York-bred Macagone by Artie Schiller, is a three-time open stakes winner, taking back-to-back editions of the Danger’s Hour Stakes in 2016 and 2017 and his sire’s namesake race in 2016. His career earnings to date stand at $636,881. Isabel Away’s final foal is a yearling colt by Magician.
