Silver Knott Caps Successful Keeneland Meet For Godolphin

Trainer Charlie Appleby brought seven horses for Godolphin to Keeneland late last month to compete in graded stakes during the spring meet. Following the victory by Silver Knott (GB) in Saturday’s VisitLEX Elkhorn (G2), the final tally from those starters was two wins, three seconds plus a third and a fifth.

Arriving Friday night in time to watch the Elkhorn, which also featured a third-place finish from Bold Act (IRE), was Appleby assistant Chris Connett.

“It was good to see Silver Knott step up,” Connett said. “The (1½-mile) distance was a question. The slow pace did not help Bold Act, who was stuck inside and that’s not what you want to do. When he ran at Meydan (in the Dubai City Of Gold [G2]), he had a nice gallop (in front of him).”

A few of the Godolphin runners are scheduled to run Kentucky Derby Day May 4 at Churchill Downs, and they will remain at Keeneland through their upcoming races before heading to Saratoga. Expected to join the group this week is Legend of Time (GB), who will quarantine at Churchill for 42 hours before coming to the Lexington track. He is to return to Churchill for the $600,000 American Turf (G2).

In the Elkhorn, Silver Knott won the race by 1½ lengths over Missed the Cut, who finished a neck in front of Bold Act.

“I thought he ran well, but the pace was too slow and not ideal for him,” said Juan Leyva, assistant to Missed the Cut's trainer, John Sadler.

Missed the Cut is scheduled to return to Sadler’s Santa Anita base on Tuesday with plans to be determined.

“The owners have thought about taking him to Royal Ascot (in England) and that may still be in play,” Leyva said.

Missed the Cut began his career in England in 2022 and has a victory in his lone race at Ascot.

With Silver Knott’s victory, Godolphin won its fifth race of the Spring Meet and leads all owners by victories with four days remaining in the season.