2017 Knickerbocker Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G2 Knickerbocker Stakes will be run this Monday, October 9 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Horses three years old and upward will take to Belmont Park's turf track and race 1 1/8 miles for the winner's portion of the $200,000 purse.

A field of 11 plus one Main Track Only Entry will take to the track in the Knickerbocker Stakes - race 8 on Belmont Park's Monday schedule. Post time is 4:46 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 12 entries for this competitive G2 stakes.

2017 Knickerbocker Stakes Entries at Belmont Park

Delta Prince 3-1

James Jerkens trained colt has seven career starts and has placed in all - three wins, two seconds and two third-place finishes. Last time out was an OK third in the G2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga September 4 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track August 5, an OK second in his stakes debut - the G3 Appleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park April 1 and two straight wins - the best of which coming in an Allowance at Gulfstream in February. Delta Prince has been competitive so far and tries for a first stakes win Monday with Jose Ortiz guiding the morning line favorite from gate 10.

Forge 7-2

British bred Bill Mott trained colt has 13 career starts with three wins, three seconds and two third-place finishes. He enters off an OK second behind Heart to Heart in the G2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga September 4 after a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming August 4 and a win and another fourth respectively in a pair of Allowance races this past summer. Forge has been OK and hopes to build on a pretty good effort last time out. Manuel Franco is scheduled to ride the second betting choice from the outside gate 12.

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The Grey Gatsby 5-1

Irish bred DK Weld trainee has four wins, eight seconds and a third-place finish in 27 career starts. He was at his best in 2014 when he won a pair of Group 1 races and a Group 2 - he hasn't tasted victory since. Last time out was a ninth in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on this track September 30 after another ninth in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes September 9, a fourth in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes August 10 and a fifth in the Group 3 Meld Stakes July 20 - all at Leopardstown. He failed to place in his previous four starts all well (all Group stakes). The Grey Gatsby has failed to hit the board in his last eight starts overall - in less-than-spectacular form ahead of this weekend. Patrick Smullen gets the call on the third choice from gate 6.

Camelot Kitten 6-1

Chad Brown trained colt has five wins and three runner-up finishes in 13 career starts. He finished a strong second in the 2015 G3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes as a juvenile at Keeneland and went on to a disappointing twelfth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf that year. He has 10 starts since and has been OK. Last time out was a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track September 9 which followed a seventh in the minor Lure Stakes at Saratoga August 5. Before that was nine months away, a seventh in the G1 Hollywood Derby December 3, a nice win in the G3 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park October 8, a respectable second in the G3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga September 3 and a good win in the G2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga August 5. Other good results include a win in the G3 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park June 4, 2016 and a career defining upset win over Beach Patrol in the 2016 G2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs. Camelot Kitten was very good at this time last year but has failed to place in his last three starts overall. He tries to snap a skid with Irad Ortiz guiding him from post 3.

Mugtaser 8-1

Kiaran McLaughlin trained gelding has 15 career starts with five wins, a second and four third-place finishes. He started his career in Britain where he was OK and has been decent nine North American races. He enters off a third in the G3 Kentucky Turf Cup September 9 which followed a two-race win streak - both Allowance races at Saratoga with the last coming August 16. He started 2017 with a pair of fifths and a second-place finish in a trio of Allowance Optional Claiming races. Mugtaser has quietly placed in four straight starts and hopes to keep the momentum going from gate 4. Joe Bravo rides.

Blacktype 8-1

Defending third-place finisher in this race - French bred Christophe Clement trained gelding has eight wins, three seconds and eight third place finishes in 27 career starts. He enters on the heels of an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park September 9, a sixth in the minor Lure Stakes at Saratoga August 5 and consecutive thirds including the G2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico in May. He also had a fifth in the G1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland April 14, a second in the minor Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct November 19, a third in the 2016 G3 Knickerbocker Stakes and a three three-race win streak - the 2016 Commonwealth Turf Cup at Laurel Park last September 24, the G3 Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park last July 31 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park July 3, 2016. He has placed three of his last four starts overall and shoots for his best result in a while from post 5. Joel Rosario will be in the irons.

Hello Don Julio 12-1

Michael Dilger trained gelding has 12 career starts with four wins and three second-place finishes. He arrives off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Saratoga August 19 which followed a fifth in the G2 Bowling Green Stakes on that track July 29, another Allowance Optional Claiming win - on this track and consecutive seconds in a pair of similar races on this track in the summer. Before that was nine months away. His only other graded stakes result was a seventh in the 2016 G2 Pan American Stakes. Hello Don Julio has been decent against lesser competition but has yet to fire in top fields. John Velazquez will try to change all of that from the rail Monday.

Sir Dudley Diggs 15-1

Michael Maker trained colt has five wins, five seconds and three third-place finishes in 18 career starts. He arrives off a first stakes win - the minor Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs September 7 after an eighth in the G3 Arlington Handicap July 8 and two straight Allowance Optional Claiming races at Churchill Downs early this past summer. Hs only other graded stakes start resulted in a fifth in the G3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs in November. Sir Dudley Diggs has quietly won three of his last four starts but hopes to hit the board for the first time in graded stakes company in his third try Monday. Luis Saez gets the call from gate 8.

Smooth Daddy 15-1

Placed in a couple of graded stakes races in 2014 but struggled after that. He has been up and down lately as well - fourth last time out in the G2 Monmouth Stakes July 30 followed a good win in the G3 Fort Marcy Stakes on this track May 6, an eleventh in the G2 Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream in March and a tenth in the G3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct November 12. Before that was a second in an Allowance at Belmont Park July 8, another second in the G3 Fort Marcy Stakes on that track in May, a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming in March and a second and a win in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races. He has placed in just one of his last four starts overall - that being a win here two starts back. Smooth Daddy hopes to build on that effort from gate 2 Monday with Eric Cancel aboard.

Spring Quality 20-1

Graham Motion trained gelding has placed in six of seven career starts - four wins and two second-place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut Monday off a second in the minor Roanoake Stakes at Parx September 2, a win in the minor Robellino Stakes at Penn National August 5 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Pimlico May 20. Spring Quality has been a factor every time out and hopes it translates in his major step up in competition Monday. Edgar Prado has been tabbed with keeping the momentum going from post 11.

Mark My Style 30-1

John Toscano trainee has 33 career starts with six wins, nine seconds and six third-place finishes. He steps into graded stakes company for the first time Monday off a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming here September 20, a second in an Allowance at Saratoga August 16 and an eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Saratoga July 21. Before that was a second in an Allowance race on this track in June and an eighth in his only stakes action to date - the minor Kingston Stakes here in May. Mark My Style has been just OK so far in his career and searches for a career-defining win from post 9. Jose Lezcano has the mount.

Vulcan's Forge 5-2

Main Track Only - Todd Pletcher trained colt has three wins and three third place finishes in 11 career starts. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score here September 15 which followed a sixth in an similar race at Saratoga August 5, nine months away and a ninth in his only graded stakes action to date - the G3 Discovery Stakes at Aqueduct November 12. Before that was an Allowance score at Belmont Park September 16 and consecutive thirds - an Allowance Optional Claiming at Saratoga August 14, 2016 and the minor Lamplighter Stakes at Monmouth Park a month before. Vulcan's Forge has been up and down in his career and will have Luis Saez in the reins from post 7 Monday of he does indeed start.

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