The 20th Running of the G3 McKnight Stakes
Saturday, January 28, 2023
GP Race #9 $200.000
4+ 124 Lbs (Plus Penalties) 11/2 Inner Turf
Course Record-2:24.57 (Eve Of Destruction-2014)
Stakes Record-2:23.95 (A Little Extra-2012)
1st: #7 Never Met Me (RNP Stables/G. Corrales): Didn’t break best and was a 3-wide fourth after a quarter mile. Made a swooping, 4-wide move to assume command before finding the rail with 7-furlongs to go. Doled-out soft fractions, while uncontested up front. Dug in when confronted and refused to allow his rival to go by in a thrilling stretch-drive to win by a long head/short neck.
2nd: #5 Charley Buzz (Nakamura Stables/P. Husbands): Rated kindly between runners from just off of the pace. Engaged the leader exiting the backstretch a 2nd time and through the turn. Almost drew even while out wide but could never get the winner’s measure in a stretch-long duel.
3rd: #2 Americas Hope (Nakamura Stables/F. Geroux): Rail-trip in the stalking trio. Tried to split runners exiting the turn. Kept pace with the top two for the entirety of the stretch, but never got on even terms.
4th: #8 Billy Joel (La Canada Racehorses/S.X. Bridgmohan): Outside of a three-way go early before settling into 4th. Never really made a move and ran evenly to be best of the rest.
Never Met Me completed the 12-furlongs in 2:25.35 to improve his record to 37-10-9-3 while upping his earnings to $1,435.050. Congratulations to Never Met Me and RNP Stables on their victory in the G3 McKnight Stakes!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
