The British-trained Silver Knott —previously a silver- or bronze-level finisher in five graded starts in the United States—took the gold in his first race as a 4-year-old, defeating Missed the Cut and his heavily favored stablemate Bold Act in the April 20 Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland.
Taking command leaving the last of three turns in the 1 1/2-mile race, Godolphin’s Silver Knott opened up a two-length midstretch lead and was never threatened under Flavien Prat. The Charlie Appleby trainee crossed the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front of California invader Missed the Cut, winner of the San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) and San Marcos Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park this year.
Bold Act, who triumphed in the Sycamore Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland last fall and the Dubai City of Gold (G2T) at Meydan Racecourse this year, was a neck farther back in third. Off a bit slowly, he pulled behind horses in the early and middle stages of the race and could only produce a mild rally once cut loose in the stretch.
“I was slowly away, in the pocket all the way. No way to get out at any stage,” said Bold Act’s jockey, Frankie Dettori.
Silver Knott conversely enjoyed a pace-pressing outside trip, chasing longshot Wentru through easy fractions of :49.82, 1:16.36, and 1:40.22 before taking over and asserting his superiority.
“We walked, we sprinted. Flavien nicked it from the front,” Dettori commented.
Silver Knott hit the wire with a final time of 2:27.37 over firm turf. He paid $13.52 to win.
“I was very pleased when we were going down the backside, and then horses came alongside of us so that made us go a little bit,” Prat said. “But it gave him a chance to actually get a nice breather, and once I called on him, as you could tell he had a great turn of foot.”
A winner of three of his first five starts during his 2-year-old season in 2022 in Britain, including the Autumn Stakes (G3) and Solario Stakes (G3), he traveled to America in the fall of that year, finishing second, beaten a nose, in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Keeneland.
He went winless in six starts last year during his 3-year-old season, with five of these races in the U.S.. However, he managed a runner-up finish in the Twilight Derby (G2T) and three third-place efforts, including in the Dec. 2 Hollywood Derby (G1T) at Del Mar in his final start of 2023.
His victory provided Godolphin with their third graded stakes victory of the current Keeneland spring meet after initial success from the Appleby-trained Master of The Seas in the Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) and the Brad Cox-trained Encino in the Lexington Stakes (G3).
The 4-year-old Lope de Vega gelding earned $176,700 for winning the $313,750 race, boosting his career bankroll to $653,276. He has a 4-2-4 record in 13 starts.
Bred in Britain by St Albans Bloodstock out of the Nathaniel mare God Given , Silver Knott was purchased for the equivalent of $1,035,915 from the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale from the Whatton Manor Stud consignment.