Kings River Knight © Benoit Photo

JUAN HERNANDEZ (Kings River Knight, winner) – “He was relaxed; so was I. He’s just such a special horse for me. I had a horse down in Mexico I think I won six or seven on him. But this horse, I think I’m up to 10 with him now. He’s really special. Whatever you want him to do, he does. He was quiet today in the paddock. I wasn’t real sure how he was going to do on the track. But he jumped right out of there and put himself on the lead and we went from there. He’s truly special.”

JUAN LEYVA (assistant trainer for John Sadler) (Kings River Knight, winner) – “I told Juan (Hernandez) ‘He’s a good breaker so get out on the lead.’ The only reason they were going to take the lead is if they’re really sending. This horse is hard to pass. When he’s up in front it’s really hard to get by him. He’s a class horse; he showed it today. He ran a really good race.” 

FRACTIONS:  :23.56  :47.33  1:11.61  1:35.31  1:41.28

The stakes win is the second of the meet for rider Hernandez and his second in the California Dreamin’ (Carmelita’s Man, 2022).  He now has 54 stakes wins at Del Mar. 

The stakes win is the first of the meet for trainer Sadler and his third in the California Dreamin’. He now has 87 stakes wins at Del Mar, second most among all trainers. 

The winning owners are Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, the Ellwood Johnston Trust and Kenneth Tevelde.