Knightsbridge and Skippylongstocking, a High-Flying Duel in the Monmouth Cup

The Haskell Stakes card will feature another major attraction bringing together some of the leading older horses in training today

Knightbridge finished second in the Met Mile / ADAM COGLIANESE

OCEANPORT, New Jersey (Special to Turf Diario).- While all eyes will be on the Haskell Stakes (G1), where The Puma (Essential Quality) will attempt to become the great Latin hope against Further Ado (Gun Runner) and Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map), this Saturday's card at Monmouth Park will offer much more than its feature event.

The program will include seven stakes races, five of them outside of the Haskell and the Molly Pitcher Stakes (G2), where 2025 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Splendora (Audible) is set to compete. Three of those supporting events will hold graded status, confirming the immense quality of one of the most important meetings of the American summer.

The first of these will be the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3-1800 m, dirt, $350,000), scheduled as the fourth race and headlined by two top-class names: Knightsbridge and Skippylongstocking. Owned by Godolphin and trained by Bill Mott, Knightsbridge arrives with the challenge of competing over 1800 meters for the first time. His 10 previous outings were always at a mile or shorter, making the added distance the main question mark surrounding his candidacy.

The son of Nyquist, a winner of three graded stakes, comes off an outstanding performance in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 6 at Saratoga, where he finished second behind the formidable Nysos (Nyquist). That effort reconfirmed his class, though he must now prove he can sustain his power for an additional 200 meters against rivals thoroughly proven at the distance.

Among them is Skippylongstocking, one of the most consistent and productive older horses in the United States over recent seasons. The son of Exaggerator achieved the biggest victory of his career in January by capturing the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), precisely over 1800 meters, securing his first top-level win.

Far from complacent, he shone again on March 21 in the Essex Handicap (G3), also over 1800 meters at Oaklawn Park, where he dominated easily. He then finished a close second by just a neck behind Corporate Power (Curlin) in the Alysheba Stakes (G2) over 1700 meters at Churchill Downs.

Skippylongstocking’s experience in two-turn races looms as a significant advantage over Knightsbridge. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee has already demonstrated he can sustain a demanding pace and finish strongly over the Monmouth Cup distance. Furthermore, he will have an extra financial incentive: a victory would allow him to surpass $6,000,000 in career earnings, a figure that reflects his longevity at the highest level.

Joseph Jr. will also saddle Alexander Helios (Cairo Prince), a G3 winner owned by John and Diane Fradkin, expanding his options within a field that, while short on numbers, boasts remarkable quality. Money Game (Candy Ride), Kinetic (Street Sense), and Sergeant Capps (West Coast) complete the lineup, aiming to capitalize on any favorable circumstances should the two heavy favorites duel themselves into defeat.

Knightsbridge represents the intriguing question mark of a talented horse tackling a longer distance for the first time. Skippylongstocking, by contrast, offers the security of a seasoned, G1-winning campaigner fully established at 1800 meters. That contrast will turn the Monmouth Cup into one of the afternoon's great duels, part of a card that features the Haskell as its centerpiece but boasts enough star power to keep the excitement high long before the main event.