Kings River Knight works 5F in 1:00.60 July 30 at Del Mar (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Del Mar Stable Notes by Jim Charvat
DEL MAR, Calif.— Now that The Chosen Vron has set his sights on the Breeders’ Cup, the Cal-bred division for older horses is ripe for the taking and the next in line intends to lay claim to his throne this Saturday in the $150,000 California Dreamin’, a mile and a sixteenth turf test for Cal-breds 3-years-old and up.
Kings River Knight appears the likely successor to The Chosen Vron off of his last three races, two of them victories and the other a near miss.
“He’s been very good since he’s come to Southern California,” trainer John Sadler says. “First time we ran him he was a real good second to The Chosen Vron. Then he won the next two Cal-bred stakes.”
Kings River Knight lost by a nose to The Chosen Vron in the $100,000 Sensational Star in March at Santa Anita. He followed with victories in the $100,000 Crystal Water in May and the $100,000 Bertrando at Los Alamitos in June. One on the turf and one on the dirt.
“He’s a very versatile horse,” Sadler points out. “He’s a winner on multiple surfaces; dirt, turf and synthetic.”
Kings River Knight won both of his races at Del Mar last year, breaking his maiden and then winning an entry-level allowance race. He then went up to Golden Gate Fields and competed in open company.
“He came here in really good shape,” Sadler says. “I think the Cal-bred stakes program we offer here fits him to a tee.”
Trainer Peter Miller brings two upset possibilities to the California Dreamin’. None Above the Law won the G2 Del Mar Derby in 2021. He’s a hard knocker who has not won since that summer day two years ago.
“He’s doing real good,” Miller says. “He loves this track. He hasn’t run up to expectations so far this year but we’re expecting a big effort.”
His stablemate, Indian Peak was a close third to The Chosen Vron and Kings River Knight in the Sensational Star, his first race back in 2023 after an eight-month layoff. He’s run two races since, both on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, so he’ll be stretching out again Saturday.
“He almost won the Seabiscuit here a couple of years ago,” Miller says. “On his day he can certainly win the race.”
Last year’s winner of the California Dreamin’, Carmelita’s Man is back to defend his crown. He won twice at Del Mar last summer but the Dean Pederson trainee hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since.
The back-to-back stakes action at Del Mar on Saturday gets underway with the California Dreamin’. It’s race #9 on the 11-race card. Approximate post time is 6 p.m.
Here is the field from the rail with the jockeys and the morning line odds: Royal ‘n Rando (Armando Ayuso, 15-1); Hacking It Up (Diego Herrera, 15-1); None Above the Law (Joe Bravo, 8-1); Larry’s Legend (Edwin Maldonado, 15-1); Carmelita’s Man (Tiago Pereira, 4-1); Kings River Knight (Umberto Rispoli, 9/5); Jimmy Blue Jeans (Kent Desormeaux, 8-1); Bally’s Charm (Hector Berrios, 8-1); Bang for Your Buck (Geovanni Franco, 15-1) and Indian Peak (Ramon Vasquez, 5-1).
