Keeneland Barn Notes — Sunday, April 21

By Amy Owens —-

SUNDAY, APRIL 21

Keeneland’s 16-day Spring Meet runs through Friday, April 26.

Keeneland is closed for racing Mondays and Tuesdays.

SILVER KNOTT (GB) WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL GODOLPHIN INVASION WITH VISITLEX ELKHORN VICTORY
KINGSBARNS HEADS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS FOLLOWING BEN ALI VICTORY
SPRING MEET LEADERS
THIRD WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS

SILVER KNOTT (GB) WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL GODOLPHIN INVASION
WITH VISITLEX ELKHORN VICTORY

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 VisitLEX 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 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 here. He is to return to Churchill for the $600,000 American Turf (G2).

In the VisitLEX 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 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.

KINGSBARNS HEADS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS FOLLOWING BEN ALI VICTORY

Spendthrift Farm’s Kingsbarns, the 3¼-length winner of Saturday’s Ben Ali (G3), was scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs Sunday to join the expanding string of Todd Pletcher runners arriving in Louisville.

“We will see how he bounces back and discuss strategy with the Spendthrift team,” Pletcher said via text following the victory, which was the third in the race for the trainer.

Kingsbarns blew past War Campaign at the top of the stretch and was not threatened in the run to the finish line.

“It looked pretty good turning for home,” trainer Phil Sims said of War Campaign’s brief lead. “I thought he ran very good. He is good this morning, and we will look at our options. It will be a month, but he likes Churchill Downs so it will probably be something there.”