Taking the slim lead with a furlong to run, Red Knight had to call upon all his reserves to hold off a determined closing bid from Gufo in a thrilling finish in $1-million Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) Saturday at Kentucky Downs.
With Gerardo Corrales at the reins, Red Knight won by a nose and covered 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:26.96.
Another Mystery was third, a neck behind favorite Gufo.
With the victory, Red Knight garnered an automatic, fees paid berth to the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland as the Kentucky Cup Turf is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” series.
In his previous start, Red Knight won the Colonial Cup Stakes, marking a return from an 11-month layoff. The Kentucky Turf Cup was is his second graded score after taking the 2020 Sycamore Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.
Reserved off the early pace set by Keystone Field, Red Knight was seventh through a mile in 1:38.46. Five wide exiting the turn, he bid at the quarter pole as Highest Honor grabbed a narrow lead, then thrust his head in front with a furlong to run and dug in to prevail when Gufo came calling.
An 8-year-old New York-bred by Pure Prize out of the Skip Away mare Isabel Away, Red Night has a 10-8-1 record from 29 career starts and has $1,210,388 in lifetime earnings after becoming racing's latest millionaire with the $317,130 winner's share of the Kentucky Turf Cup purse.
A Trinity Farm homebred trained by Mike Maker, Red Knight returned $26.04.
The post Red Knight Upstages Favorite Gufo In Kentucky Turf Cup Thriller, Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
