Knicks Go Colt Ewing Electrifies at the Spa

This column highlights the performances of 2- and 3-year-old maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Saratoga Race Course

Ewing became an early favorite for Saratoga Race Course's handful of 2-year-old graded stakes races, including the prestigious Hopeful (G1), following his jaw-dropping 12-length debut score July 5. 

The son of 2021 Horse of the Year and first crop stallion Knicks Go  had first displayed his precocity at this year's OBS April Sale, where he drilled an eighth-mile in :10 1/5 during the under tack show. Although Ewing had failed to meet his $37,000 reserve as a yearling at the 2024 Keeneland September Sale, the colt had blossomed enough as a 2-year-old to catch the attention of the prominent West Point Thoroughbreds operation. Linking up with D.J. Stable at OBS, West Point secured the colt for $585,000, and Ewing became the most expensive offspring to date sold at public auction for his young sire.

Sent to Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Ewing breezed twice at the trainer's private training center in Ocala before journeying northward for a Saratoga summer. In his second work over the Saratoga oval, the iron gray colt all but cemented himself as a 'horse to watch' with a dizzying bullet half-mile in :46 3/5 move leaving the gate. 

Bet down at a whopping 1-4 in his debut, Ewing wouldn't disappoint his backers on race day. Guided by Jose Ortiz, the colt established authority only a few strides out of the blocks and showed the way through an opening quarter in :22.42. Briefly headed around the far turn, Ewing shook away his foe with astonishing ease and sailed to the wire under little encouragement.

Twelve lengths ahead of their closest pursuer at the line, Ewing continued widening his lofty advantage on the field in the gallop out, seemingly over 25 lengths in front by the time Ortiz pulled Ewing up on the backside. 

Ewing ($2.70) clocked the 5 1/2 furlong distance in 1:04.42. He became the fifth winner produced from his dam, the unraced Indiana Carlie mare Sassy Ali Joy, a distant relative of 1998 champion 3-year-old filly Banshee Breeze.