Friday: Going Key to Pioneering Spirit in Knickerbocker

Pioneering Spirit  faces seven rivals in the Oct. 20 Knickerbocker Stakes (G3T) during the Belmont at the Big A meet, but his greatest adversary could be Mother Nature.

The 4-year-old gelded son of American Pharoah   has five wins this year on firm turf but is 0-for-2 on yielding ground, both times in top-level company. He ran third, 10 lengths behind, in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) this summer at Saratoga Race Course, and then last out on Oct. 7 finished seventh, beaten 18 1/4 lengths, over yielding conditions in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) at Aqueduct.

If rain falls and softens the course before Friday's Knickerbocker—as of 2 p.m. ET Oct. 18, the National Weather Service called for a 60% chance of showers Friday after dry mid-week weather—Pioneering Spirit's chances could be impacted.

The gelding cuts back in distance from 1 1/2 miles to race 1 1/8 miles in the Knickerbocker. A winner from a mile to 1 3/8 miles, he took the Bernard Baruch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in September.

Jose Ortiz rides Pioneering Spirit, whom Linda Rice trains for A Bianco Holding Limited.

The Competition

• Graded stakes winners Rockemperor  and Master Piece  are winless this year.
• Most recently, Rockemperor was second in the Sept. 9 Singspiel Stakes (G3T) at Woodbine. Master Piece was 10th in the Aug. 12 Arlington Million (G1T) at Colonial Downs.