ICYMI: Favorites Leave a Lasting Impression

TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon

All Knight Long

With the way California-bred Kings River Knight has been running lately, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see the 5-year-old superstar in Dodger blue sometime soon.

Jokes aside, the gelding continued his recent stretch of stakes dominance in the $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic at Santa Anita on Saturday afternoon. Leading gate to wire, Kings River Knight held firm to secure his third consecutive stakes win, and fifth in eight attempts at the level.

As the field of 10’s even-money choice, Kings River Knight paid $4.20 for the win.

Ginner Ginner!

Returning to the Black Type stakes level after a disappointing fifth in last November’s Golden Rod (G2), Gin Gin warded off 11-1 challenger Princess Mayfair to take home the $100,000 Busanda on Saturday at Aqueduct.

Leaving the gate at 3-1, the Brad Cox pupil put together a strong bounceback performance as the board’s second choice behind 4-5 favorite Shimmering Allure, who finished nine lengths back of Princess Mayfair in third.

The 3-year-old filly’s first career stakes triumph pushed her overall record to 2-2-0 through five starts. She paid $7.60.

Never a Doubt

Multiple graded stakes winning gelding The Chosen Vron added another stakes score to his sterling resume on Saturday afternoon.

The Hector Berrios trainee made quick work of the competition to capture the $150,000 California Cup Sprint for his 15^th win in 20 lifetime starts. With wins at the Grade 1, Grade 3, and Black Type levels, The Chosen Vron has amassed over $1.2 million in earnings.

The 5-year-old gelding, who’s gone 10-0-0 over his previous 11 runs, took care of business at 1-9 to pay just $2.10 on a $2 win bet.

Busy in the Bay

Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, I mean, Book’em Danno and Mystic Lake, each put on a show at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.

Both closing as overwhelming favorites, the former cruised to a 12 ½-length victory in the $125,000 Pasco Stakes, while the latter scored the $125,000 Gasparilla by a more modest margin of 1 ¾ lengths.

Book’em Danno is now an impressive 4-1-0 through five starts for trainer Derek Ryan. The multiple stakes winner, who closed at 1-9, paid a light $2.20 for the win.

Mystic Lake, on the other hand, earned her first career stakes victory to push her career line to 2-1-1 in five attempts. At 4-5, the 3-year-old filly paid a slightly more fruitful $3.60.

Mane Attraction

My Mane Squeeze is still a perfect 5-for-5 landing in the money after a strong first place showing in the $100,000 Franklin Square Stakes.

Going off as the eighth race on Aqueduct’s Sunday card, the 6 ½-furlong Franklin was the 3-year-old filly’s first race since last November’s Maid of the Mist, which she also left victorious.

The strong start, especially at the stakes level (2-0-1), has made the Michael Maker protégé an appealing choice for bettors heading into the 2024 campaign.

My Mane Squeeze’s first triumph of the year paid $5.20.