Presious Passion looks for third straight McKnight

Presious Passion will try to carve his own niche in the Calder record book (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) Front-running dynamo PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem), who nearly wired the field in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) last out, will look to make history when he lines up as the two-time defending champion in Saturday’s $150,000 W.L. McKnight H. (G2) at Calder. If the Mary Hartmann veteran runs his rivals ragged again, he would become the first three-time winner of the McKnight. The 1 1/2-mile turf marathon is the richest of a trio of graded events on the “Grand Slam II” program, which also includes the $100,000 Kenny Noe Jr. H. (G3) and the $100,000 Stage Door Betty H. (G3). Presious Passion upset the 2007 McKnight at 67-1, rallying from a close stalking position to score by 1 1/4 lengths. The chestnut gelding was accorded more respect for his title defense in 2008. Sent off at 7-1, he employed the front-running tactics that have become his hallmark en route to a two-length decision. He will attract much stronger support this time. Since picking up his second McKnight trophy, Presious Passion has performed at a consistently high level, finishing in the top two in seven of his eight subsequent starts. His lone blemish during this span came on unsuitably rain-affected ground in the Arlington Million (G1), where he uncharacteristically tired and reported home last of eight.

On anything resembling firm turf, however, Presious Passion has grown into a
potent force. In July, he joined an elite club of two-time United Nations S.
(G1) winners in spectacular fashion, opening up by 20 lengths in the early going
and ultimately smashing the Monmouth course record for 1 3/8 miles. After his
fruitless trip to Arlington, Presious Passion rebounded with a professional
victory in the Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship S. (G1) at Santa Anita. Next
time out in the Breeders’ Cup over the same course, he mounted a gallant effort
to lead throughout, and was only just worn down late by reigning champion
Conduit (Ire).

Regular rider Elvis Trujillo will guide Presious Passion from post 10 in the
McKnight.

Despite his sparkling form, Presious Passion has not scared away the
opposition. Ten rivals are willing to challenge him, led by the venerable
nine-year-old CLOUDY’S KNIGHT (Lord Avie). Voted Canada’s champion turf horse in
2007, the year he lifted the Canadian International (Can-G1), Cloudy’s Knight
lost his way in 2008, but has been rejuvenated since joining Jonathan Sheppard.
The gelding is three-for-four for his new barn this season, capturing the
Kentucky Cup Turf (G3), Sycamore S. (G3) and the Valedictory S. last time out.
But for his agonizing photo-finish loss in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, Cloudy’s
Knight would be unbeaten for Sheppard, and he promises to come rolling in the
stretch for Rosemary Homeister Jr.

Other contenders include last year’s Secretariat S. (G1) romper, WINCHESTER
(Theatrical [Ire]), who has been freshened since he fell a head shy of Cloudy’s
Knight in the Sycamore at Keeneland; Elkhorn S. (G2) winner SPICE ROUTE (GB)
(King’s Best), who has been beaten by Presious Passion twice this year and was
most recently third in the Red Smith H. (G2); Brazilian Group 1 winner
MR.UNIVERSO (Brz) (Roi Normand), a close fourth in the Red Smith; and WARNING
ZONE (Chester House), a new recruit to the Marty Wolfson barn who was last seen
capturing the 2008 Sunset H. (G2). Warning Zone was originally expected to
return in the December 5 Tropical Turf H. (G3) at nine furlongs, but that stakes
wound up being postponed by the equine herpes virus outbreak, then canceled
altogether.

The remaining graded stakes action on the Grand Slam II card will take place
on the main track. The seven-furlong Kenny Noe pits talented sophomore THIS ONES
FOR PHIL (Untuttable) against older stakes rivals for the first time. An alumnus
of Calder’s robust two-year-old program, and the winner of the 2008 Seacliff S.
over this track, This Ones for Phil was purchased privately and transferred to
Rick Dutrow for his three-year-old campaign.

The chestnut opened 2009 with an impressive score in the Sunshine Millions
Dash S., and two starts later, took the Swale S. (G2) via disqualification.
Things didn’t pan out for him after that, as he finished second in the Withers
S. (G3) and fifth in the Woody Stephens S. (G2) while finding trouble on each
occasion. Sidelined for nearly six months, This Ones for Phil returned with a
good-looking win over older foes in an allowance/optional claimer at Laurel.
John Velazquez picks up the mount in the Kenny Noe, where he will break from
post 9.

Among his nine rivals are two from the Wolfson barn — dual Calder stakes
winner MOTOVATO (Proud Citizen), most recently a rallying second after adversity
in the Spend a Buck H. (G3) here, and Grade 2-placed YOU AND I FOREVER (A.P.
Indy), who will try to regroup from an 11th-place finish in the Clark H. (G2).
Nick Zito will send out the lightly-raced four-year-old BIKER BOY (Came Home),
who has been knocking heads with a few tough opponents in the sprint division.
Fourth in the Carter H. (G1) earlier in the season, Biker Boy comes off an
allowance/optional claiming coup at Belmont. Peruvian Group 1 hero PECHITO (Arg)
(Interprete), now residing at Calder, finally broke through with a dominating
allowance score last out, while Calder mainstays HYPOCRITE (Outofthebox), who
was third in last year’s Kenny Noe, and DREAM MAESTRO (Concerto) are also worth
a look.

Fourteen distaffers will square off in the 1 1/16-mile Stage Door Betty. The
three-year-old SWEET REPENT (Repent) boasts a three-race winning streak, capped
by her 3 1/4-length defeat of JESSICA IS BACK (Put It Back) in the Elmer Heubeck
Distaff H. at this same track and distance. Jessica Is Back came right back to
crush an allowance field in her prep for the Stage Door Betty, and she is
capable of turning the tables on her younger rival. Trained by Wolfson, Jessica
Is Back will be joined in the starting gate by her stablemate MISS SINGHSIX
(Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]), last seen finishing second in the Nancy’s Glitter H. in
July.

Several contenders with credentials have shipped in from elsewhere. The
Michael Matz-trained MORENA (Per) (Privately Held), a champion in her native
Peru, has picked up a few minor awards in the United States, with her best
performance being a solid second in the Falls City H. (G2) on Thanksgiving. A
pair of Eric Coatrieux runners had plied their trade at Woodbine — Selene S.
(Can-G3) winner AURORA LIGHTS (Pulpit) and River Memories S. runner-up LOMAKI (A.P.
Indy). The well-bred FLYING DIXIE (Dixieland Band) makes her stakes debut for
Shug McGaughey off two allowance/optional claiming wins in the Northeast.

One entrant is making a homecoming. AMAZING (Greatness) has not raced at
Calder since her game win in the 2008 Elmer Heubeck Distaff, and a return to her
old stomping grounds could spark a form reversal for the Brian Lynch filly.