Knight Of Intrigue, a five-year-old son of Yankee Glide, will be looking to get past that final horse in Friday's $130,000 final of the Su Mac Lad Series
at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Knight Of Intrigue was a late bloomer, missing much of his two-year-old season with breathing and maturity issues. Surgery for an entrapped epiglottis in 2008 put him back on track and he has won $176,273 in his career with six wins.
Racing against the top trotters at the Meadowlands, Knight Of Intrigue has been second in five of the last six starts, including a second and fourth in the Su Mac Lad. Likeabatoutahell won the first leg of the series (by a neck over Knight Of Intrigue) while Enough Talk was third. In the second leg, Enough Talk edged Likeabatoutahell by a neck.
"His problem getting by the last horse is because every time they've been just a little bit better than him," trainer Bruce Saunders said. "Or, they got an easier trip and he was on the outside.
"He's had to meet up with Lucky Jim a few times and he seems to end up first over," Saunders added. "One of these days when the favourites have to race a little and (Knight Of Intrigue) gets a second or third over trip, we'll see a different outcome."
Saunders has trained the horse for owner Glenview Livestock of Wallenstein, Ontario in the U.S. last year and this year; his Canadian starts have been for trainer Rene Laarman. He has gone off stride three times in four starts north of the border and never finished better than ninth.
"He just doesn't get over the track up there," Saunders said. "Mohawk he can handle, but Woodbine he seems to have a problem with. It's not the size of the track, it's the surface. In the winter it tends to get loose and cuppy and he can't handle that."
Saunders said the recent runner-up status hasn't affected Knight Of Intrigue's attitude at all.
"Oh, no, his ears are still up all the time," Saunders said. "He likes to race."
He expects the horse to remain at the Meadowlands for the duration of the meet. "He has the Father Foley Series, the Horse and Groom, the Titan Cup and all the way to the Breeders Crown (August 21)," he said.
(Harness Racing Communications)