Sophomore Sprinters Enjoy Spotlight at Keeneland Saturday

Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Knightsbridge (Nyquist) will square off with GI Woody Stephens Stakes winner Book'em Danno (Bucchero) in a deep renewal of the GIII Perryville Stakes going seven furlongs at Keeneland Saturday. 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner), last seen finishing third as the favorite in the 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, is expected to scratch and instead make his sophomore debut in the lidlifter at the Big A Saturday.

Godolphin homebred Knightsbridge posted a double-digit victory going seven furlongs on debut at Churchill Downs Nov. 4, then fired fresh off the bench with another dominating decision in an optional claimer going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park last out Mar. 28. The latter performance earned him a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

Knightsbridge has been working smartly at Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's Saratoga base for his return, including a five-furlong bullet in 1:02 2/5 (1/7) Oct. 7.

“The timing and distance of the Perryville makes sense as a good opportunity to start him back,” Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said.

“It will be good to get him back to the track, as he had some bone bruising in the spring so he needed a few months of turn out before he could resume training.”

The New Jersey-bred Book'em Danno closed from ninth to finish a good third in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes at Saratoga last time Aug. 24.

“He's doing great, hopefully he gets the job done,” trainer Derek Ryan said. “I thought he should have won the Jerkens. If he gets to the outside, he wins. The rail that day was dead.”

Saturday's 10-race card at Keeneland also co-features the GII Lexus Raven Run Stakes. Emery (More Than Ready), winner of the GIII Victory Ride Stakes July 4 and runner-up in the GI Test Stakes Aug. 3, is the 7-5 morning-line favorite.

The weekend's graded stakes action also includes Saturday's GIII Ontario Derby at Woodbine and Sunday's GIII Rood & Riddle Dowager Stakes.