While Capo Twisted ( Hawaiian Shirt Guy ) looked to dominate on the frontend throughout this affair, an extra nose push at the wire by RNP Stables Lets Do It Big Boy would make for an interesting and long photo finish determination.

• The Knickerbocker Handicap ( Gr. II ) Purse- $200.000
• Aqueduct Racetrack – For Three Years old and Up
• One Mile and one eighth- Inner turf course

While one trainer was shouting ” Hang in there buddy, that’s it, stay on top” and the other trainer was shouting ” Come on, dig deep, deeper you can get there!” The excitement these two combatants felt as their entries battled head to head in the final tenth of a furlong to the wire, that being multiplied by the fans in the stands on their feet shouting even louder. While the two circled outside the winners circle waiting for the stewards to hand down the decision, the numbers 3-9-2 would be posted on the tote, and both trainers shook hands and said ” Great race!!!.

For Lets Do It Big Boy, the road has been lined with bumps and turns this season that were not forgiving. Having already gone zero for eleven this year at trying to earn a victory, this second Grade II title of his career was definitely a bitter sweet win for his trainer. Never flinching, never giving up on his ability, RNP Stables kept it together, and this was one sweet ride. Jockey Lezcano has ridden other runners entered here in the past to victories, but he made the right choice coming here to this stable.

The win is number six of thirty in his career, and he has finished in the money 50% of the time in his career. His total earnings now top $1,300.000 and his sires bloodlines have now added another notch to the belt

If this event was just a touch bit shorter, we may have seen Capo Twisted take it gate to wire. While he was able to place himself clearly on top early, it would take till the midway of the back stretch before Controlled Power ( Spankys Barn ) would allow him to get down to the rail. Still a length better then his closest runner with a sixteenth to run, Rider Cancel may have just hesitated slightly, just enough to lose the photo. Two places and a victory for this trainer since the bay four year old was shipped here, and now the patience is ready to find itself a home. Lets see if he returns in a miler next time.

The show purse would go to Spankys Barn Battle Of Midway. Shorting up for his next start may make his efforts more lucrative at the wire. Six for eight in the money and seems to prefer to like to dominate the pace on top, so we may see more of that style of running from him in the future.

Minor share of the purse money was given to TwinTowersRacing’s Gallant Man as he would turn in a closing effort after getting just a little too far back to make up all the ground necessary.

Completion of the field consisted of Sunday Phunnies ( Nakamura Stables), Controlled Power, Kandy Stripe ( Maxmillion Farm ), Penitentiary ( D J C Racing Stables ) and Chipotle ( Arindel )

Duffer

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES