Red Knight Outduels Rivals in Colonial Cup

Trinity Farm's Red Knight  may have been unraced for 11 months going into the $156,000 Colonial Cup Stakes at Colonial Downs July 27, but the extended hiatus didn't impact his performance.

The 8-year-old, making his first start for trainer Mike Maker, finished strongly to capture the 1 1/2-mile turf test by 1 1/2 lengths under Horacio Karamanos. Another Mystery  finished second by a head over third-place Snap Decision , with Royne  another 1 1/4 lengths back in fourth.

In victory, the gelded son of Pure Prize  rebounded from a winless campaign in 2021 from five starts for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. The preceding year, he won the 2020 Sycamore Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland for Mott, one of three prior black-type wins for the gelding. He paid $11.60 to win.

No final time or splits were immediately available due to a timing malfunction, according to the Equibase chart.

Cellist , the 3-2 favorite, weakened after contesting the pace to finish 10th, ahead of only Nathan Detroit , who was officially last of 11 after unseating his rider, William Humphrey, when the horse clipped heels shortly after the start.

The stewards held an inquiry into the incident but took no action.

Bred in New York by his owner, Red Knight is out of the Skip Away mare Isabel Away . He advanced his earnings to $893,258, accomplished with a record of 9-8-1 in 28 starts.