Longshot Three Technique Tackles Knicks Go Stakes
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coady Photography
Three Technique wins the Knicks Go Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs
Being a longshot is nothing new to David Miller, owner of Three Technique .
When Miller bought the horse at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale last year, there was a 27-way shake. Trainer Jason Cook, speaking to NBC, said of Miller's claim, "He said, 'I hope our card is three, our card is a three.' And we got it."
Three got it again, this time a 36-1 underdog that made a furious push down the stretch to take the $160,000 Knicks Go Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7. The race is restricted to 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded stakes in 2021-22.
Three Technique completed the mile on a fast track in 1:35.48. The Knicks Go was his first win in more than a year.
Gun It , by Tapit , grabbed the lead from the start, but was never able to put more than half a length between him and his primary challengers through three-quarters of a mile—Dream Shake and Injunction . Gun It posted fractions of :22.72, :45.74, and 1:10.28.
Getting out behind most of the 11-horse field, Three Technique trailed by 7 1/2 lengths. He gained two lengths each of the next quarter miles before closing to within a length as he hit the stretch.
Dream Shake, under Flavien Prat, worked his way into the lead, but Rafael Bejarano continued urging Three Technique to charge forward. Moving from the outside, Bejarano pulled Three Technique into a five-wide sprint to the wire. Joining Dream Shake, Injunction, Gun It, and Necker Island , Three Technique and Bejarano made their final move at the sixteenth pole to pass Dream Shake for the win.
Bejarano said, "The horse had a good trip. I finally got him in the clear this time. The horse was ready today and I was very happy for him and the owners."
Cook told NBC he had a feeling Saturday was his trainee's day.
"I felt like today was it if there was ever a day," he said.
The order of finish behind the victor went Injunction, South Bend, Necker Island, Dream Shake, Shared Sense , Gun It, A C Expressway , Endorsed , Perfectly Speighty, and Frosted Grace .
"He broke good and put me into a good position. I just waited for the right time to go and the winner ran me down and was just better than me today," said Jose Ortiz, who rode Injunction.
A $2 bet on Three Technique delivered $75.60. Injunction brought home $7.00 for the place, with South Bend at $5.20 for the show.
Three Technique is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Mr Speaker out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Nite in Rome . Nite in Rome is the dam of 11 foals with six winners from eight starters, including stakes winner and grade 2-placed Stan the Man (by Broken Vow ).
Three Technique earned $94,366 for Saturday's victory to bring his career earnings to $475,411. He has four wins from 23 starts.