Knightsbridge passed his first try around two turns with flying colors with a dominating ten-and-a-quarter length victory in the $350,000 G3 Monmouth Cup at Monmouth Park on Saturday, July 18.
The five-year-old son of Nyquist notched his third Graded Stakes win of the year, and his fourth overall, with his victory in the nine-furlong Monmouth Cup, which was his first attempt beyond one mile. Knightsbridge entered the race off a runner-up finish to Nysos (Nyquist) in the G1 Met Mile.
Knightsbridge broke on top but had some company up front early, with Skippylongstocking attending to his outside and Sergeant Capps stalking three wide in the opening furlong. Around the first turn Sergeant Capps settled back to track the leading pair, though Skippylongstocking stayed right up beside Knightsbridge through an opening quarter of :23.38.
On the backstretch, Knightsbridge edged to a clear lead, leaving Skippylongstocking to track in closest range. Going comfortably, he crossed the half-mile mark in :46.57. Into the far turn, Knightsbridge remained in control, marking three quarters in 1:10.63. Behind him, Skippylongstocking could not keep up, and Money Game rallied inside to gain second position.
Jockey Flavien Prat shook Knightsbridge up into the lane and he began to pour it on. He made the mile in 1:35.19, drawing further from the field with every stride. Money Game gave chase but proved only second best.
Knightsbridge crossed the finish line well clear of Money Game, wrapped up in the final strides and completing the nine furlongs in 1:47.54 on the fast track. It was another 19 lengths back to Skippylongstocking in third.
Knightsbridge was bred in Kentucky by Godolphin and is out of the unraced Bernardini mare, Tyburn Brook, making him a half brother to multiple Graded Stakes winner and current first-crop Darley stallion, Speaker’s Corner (Street Sense). Tyburn Brook is out of G1 winner Round Pond, who is a half sister to G1 winner and Darley stallion, Highland Falls.
Nyquist has 10 Stakes winners to his credit this year, including Graded Stakes winners Nysos (G1 Met Mile), Immersive (G2 Fleur de Lis), Growth Equity (G3 Peter Pan), Iron Honor (G3 Gotham Stakes), and David of Athens (G3 Jebel Ali Mile).
