Keeneland Preview & FREE Picks | Sycamore Stakes 2023: Red Knight Returns For More

Aaron previews the 2023 Sycamore Stakes (G3) from Keeneland, then gives his top picks & long shots.

The 2020 race winner Red Knight returns for more, but can he get the job done? Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section!

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The press release:

Channel Maker, the 2020 Eclipse Award winner as champion turf male, and Red Knight, winner of the Man o’ War (G1) this spring, headline a field of 12 plus four also-eligibles entered today for the 29th running of the Sycamore (G3) on Oct. 13.

Run at 1½ miles on the turf, the Sycamore will go as the ninth race on the 10-race program with a 5:16 p.m. ET post time.

Trained by Bill Mott, the 9-year-old Channel Maker will be making his seventh start at Keeneland. His first race here was an allowance test in 2017; his best moments came in 2022 with a victory in the Elkhorn (G2) and in 2020 with a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).

Fourth in the Sycamore last year, Channel Maker enters this year’s running off a sixth-place finish over yielding turf in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 26. In his race prior to that, Channel Maker scored a front-running victory in the Bowling Green (G2), a race he also won in 2018.

Channel Maker races for the partnership of Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing.

Florent Geroux will have the mount on Channel Maker, who will exit post 7.

Trinity Farm’s Red Knight, also a 9-year-old, will be making his sixth Keeneland start. His lone local victory came in the 2020 Sycamore. Trained by Mike Maker, Red Knight will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 2.

Maker will send out another Grade 1 winner in Michael Dubb’s Therapist. Winner of the United Nations at Monmouth Park in July, Therapist will be ridden by Luis Saez and break from post 4.

The field for the Sycamore, with riders and weights from the rail out:

1. Highest Honors (Flavien Prat, 121 pounds)
2. Red Knight (Gaffalione, 125)
3. Bold Act (IRE) (Jamie Spencer, 118)
4. Therapist (Saez, 125)
5. Tawny Port (Joel Rosario, 121)
6. Cellist (Martin Garcia, 121)
7. Channel Maker (Geroux, 125)
8. Kitodan (Alex Achard, 121)
9. Another Mystery (Jareth Loveberry, 121)
10. Red Run (Ricardo Santana Jr., 121)
11. Limited Liability (John Velazquez, 121)
12. Foreign Relations (Julien Leparoux, 123)

Also-Eligibles:

1. Also-Eligible: Shawdyshawdyshawdy (Leparoux, 121)
2. Me and Mr. C (Gerardo Corrales, 121)
3. Britain’s Kitten (Francisco Arrieta, 121)
4. Beacon Hill (Geroux, 121)