Boisterous Goes for Third Knickerbocker

After an early summer where he made one forward move after another – running second to start the season in the Grade III Ben Ali Stakes, then winning the Grade II Monmouth Stakes, then winning the Grade I Man O’ War Stakes – Boisterous has faltered a bit lately. After coming up empty in the lane and finishing eighth as the favorite in the Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga in mid-August, he was unable to negotiate traffic trouble and could do no better than third last time out in the Bowling Green Handicap.

Champ only second choice in the ML

On Saturday he’ll get a chance to set things right when he faces nine others as the two-time defending champ in the $200,000 Grade III Knickerbocker Stakes, going 1 1/8 miles on the Belmont Turf. Assigned co-high weight of 124 pounds, he’s been installed as the second choice in the morning line at 7-2, behind the 3-1 Za Approval, who will also carry 124. After starting the season with a win in upper AOC company,  Za Approval won two straight Grade IIs, and was most recently runner up in consecutive Grade I events.

Howe Great needs to find a little bit more

Also expected to go to the gate are Swift Warrior (8-1) a well-traveled winner at this level who has run at 14 different tracks in his 24-race career. Also at 8-1 in the morning line is Howe Great, who has yet to get a win in graded-stakes company but always seems to be knocking on the door, running second or third in three straight Grade III races recently, including a second two starts ago in the Oceanport Stakes. He finished that one behind Silver Max, who last weekend upset superstar Wise Dan to capture the Grade I Shadwell Mile.