Pioneering Spirit faces seven rivals in the Oct. 20 Knickerbocker Stakes (G3T) during Belmont at the Big A meet, but his greatest adversary could be Mother Nature.
The 4-year-old gelded son of American Pharoah has five wins this year on firm turf but is 0-for-2 on yielding ground, both times in top-level company. He ran third, 10 lengths behind, in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) this summer at Saratoga Race Course, and then last out on Oct. 7 finished seventh, beaten 18 1/4 lengths over yielding conditions in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) at Aqueduct.
If rain falls and softens the course before Friday’s Knickerbocker—as of 2 p.m. ET Oct. 17, the National Weather Service called for a 60% chance of showers Friday after dry mid-week weather—Pioneering Spirit’s chances could be impacted.
The gelding cuts back in distance from 1 1/2 miles to race 1 1/8 miles in the Knickerbocker. A winner from a mile to 1 3/8 miles, he took the Bernard Baruch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in September.
Jose Ortiz rides Pioneering Spirit, whom Linda Rice trains for A Bianco Holding Limited.
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The Competition
- Graded stakes winners Rockemperor and Master Piece are winless this year.
- Most recently, Rockemperor was second in the Sept. 9 Singspiel Stakes (G3T) at Woodbine. Master Piece was 10th in the Aug. 12 Arlington Million (G1T) at Colonial Downs.
Entries: Knickerbocker S. (G3T)
Belmont at the Big A, Friday, October 20, 2023, Race 6
- Grade III
- 1 1/8m
- Outer turf
- $150,000
- 3 yo’s & up
- 3:16 PM (local)
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