Godolphin Sends Out the Two Favorites in Sword Dancer

The Godolphin assault on American turf racing rolls on in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course as trainer Charlie Appleby holds two of the six entries, either of them good enough to be the solid favorite.

The race is one of five grade I events on a program featuring the Travers Stakes (G1). As a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event, the Sword Dancer winner receives an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

Measured Time  returns from a two-length victory in his first United States start for the Godolphin team, the Manhattan Stakes (G1T) June 8 at the Spa. Not bad. But not good enough to make him the morning-line favorite in the Sword Dancer. That role goes to stablemate Silver Knott , who has racked up consecutive wins in the Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland, the Man o' War Stakes (G2T) at Aqueduct Racetrack, and the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga—all by comfortable margins. Silver Knott is the even-money choice in the morning line, while Measured Time is 7-5.

Silver Knott's résumé also includes a second, beaten a nose, as the favorite in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

Flavien Prat, aboard for all three of those wins, climbs back aboard Silver Knott, a 4-year-old Lope de Vega  gelding. William Buick jets in to take the mount on Measured Time, a 4-year-old colt by Frankel  .

Measured Time will try to win over 1 1/2 miles for the first time while making just his ninth career start. He finished second in his only try at the distance in a listed stakes over the all-weather surface at Kempton Park at 3. Appleby said he's hedging his bets by adding the more experienced Silver Knott to the mix.

"We feel he should appreciate it," Appleby said of Measured Time's stretch out. "We're therefore hopeful that we could see even more improvement from him."

But, he added, Silver Knott "is in there if by any chance that Measured Time doesn't happen to see the trip out, he's guaranteed to. Both worked well during the week. We have two very live players, so I'm looking forward to it."

On form, the locals would seem to be up against it.

Soldier Rising , a 6-year-old Frankel gelding from Christophe Clement's barn, has posted four straight runner-up finishes, starting with last year's Sword Dancer. In his latest, he finished 2 1/2 lengths adrift of Silver Knott in the Bowling Green. Overall, he's been second in 11 of 22 career starts.

"He is a very hard-trying horse," Clement said. "He always shows up and runs his race. People like to poke fun at him for running second, but there aren't many horses out there who are as consistent as he is." 

Grand Sonata  finished second, a nose behind Get Smokin , in the United Nations Stakes (G2T) at Monmouth Park as a 23-1 long shot. That was, by far, the best-ever showing in a graded stakes by the Todd Pletcher-trained 5-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro   since his lone graded win in the 2022 Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T).

Far Bridge , also a Clement charge, was a force among the 3-year-old turf runners in 2023, winning the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) and finishing second, beaten just half a length, in the Dueling Grounds Derby (G3T) at Kentucky Downs. But he comes into the Sword Dancer off a fifth in the Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs, a third in the Manhattan, and a ninth-place showing in the United Nations.

"Not really sure what happened in that race," Clement said of the United Nations misadventure. "But we will look to bounce back in the Sword Dancer."

Pioneering Spirit  completes the entries but has only two wins in 10 starts since finishing third, beaten 10 lengths, in the 2023 Sword Dancer.