CYPRESS, Calif. (Sept. 16, 2023) – Keeping it in the family, odds-on favorite Kings River Knight, bred and co-owned by the Ellwood Johnston Trust and its Old English Rancho, outlasted Fast Draw Munnings in a stretch-long duel to win Saturday’s $75,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes for California-breds at Los Alamitos.
Kings River Knight is by Acclamation, out of the Poteen mare Seasontoperfection, is co-owned by Integrity Thoroughbred Racing and trained by John Sadler.
“I told (jockey) Juan (Hernandez) to go out there with the intent to go to the lead, but if somebody wants to go crazy, let them and let him settle nicely and that’s what he did,” said assistant trainer Juan Leyva. “Juan rode a really good race. This is a really cool horse. He loves his job and he shows up every time.’’
A multiple stakes winner, Kings River Knight has six wins in 12 starts, earnings of $366,010 and was coming off a second in the Aug. 5 California Dreamin’ Stakes at Del Mar. Sent off at 3-5, he ran the mile in 1:35.11 and won by two lengths.
Fast Draw Munnings was second and Shortman rallied for third in the field of six. The win gave jockey Juan Hernandez his 14th stakes victory, a record for daytime thoroughbred meets at Los Alamitos.
“I love this track,” said Hernandez. “It’s smooth and the horses go over it real well. It’s always a good feeling to win a race, but a stakes is extra special and we’ve had a lot of good luck here. (Kings River Knight) broke a step slow, but he relaxed perfectly and we just let (pacesetter Hail Freedom) go. When I asked him at the three-eighths pole he took off and they weren’t going to catch him.’’