BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Amy E. Dunne and trainer Patrick Biancone’s I Know I Know will stretch out to a marathon distance for the first time Saturday at Gulfstream Park when the Florida-bred sophomore goes two miles on the turf in the $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap. I Know I Know is one of eight 3-year-olds and older entered and has been assigned to carry 117 pounds, four less than co-highweights Risk Manager and Summer Cause.
This will be the first race beyond a mile-and-70-yards for the stakes-placed I Know I Know, who was last seen 10 weeks ago finishing second to Florida-bred Classic of Course at that distance on the synthetic at Gulfstream in an off-the-turf $57,370 allowance race.
In fact, all of his six starts this year have come at that distance on the Gulfstream Park all-weather course where he has a win, two seconds and a third. His victory came three starts back on Aug. 10 in a second tier, $62,500 optional claiming. I Know I Know also had two starts against stakes horses this year including a third in the $75,000 Soldier’s Dancer won by Florida-bred Prevent on July 5 and a fourth in Mi Bago’s $150,000 Dania Beach taken off the turf on Jan. 1.
In the Soldier’s Dancer, he laid close to the pace in third but could not muster a winning move in the stretch, finishing three-and-a-half-lengths behind Florida-bred winner Prevent. He had trouble at the start of the Dania Beach and found himself 10 lengths back around the second turn but made up more than five lengths with a good stretch run.
I Know I Know has a career record of three wins, three seconds and a third in 13 tries with earnings of $178,950. Bred in Florida by Biancone, I Know I Know is by Jess’s Dream out of the winning Florida-bred mare Prove Me, by Big Drama.
David Egan has the riding assignment on I Know I Know and will break from post two.
Trainer Michael Maker will saddle Risk Manager, a winner of three straight before finishing sixth last out after a slow start. He won a $20,000 starter allowance going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf at Ellis Park on Aug. 1 then stretched out to take a second tier, $80,000 optional claiming going a mile-and-five-sixteenths on the unique grass course at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 6. He then won an eight-and-a-half-furlong, $50,000 starter allowance on the turf during the Belmong at Big A meet on Oct. 18 before his last out when sixth in a $25,000 starter allowance gong a mile-and-a-sixteenth at Churchill Downs on Nov. 15.
Risk Manager is by Looking At Lucky and as won 11 of 37 starts with earnings of $584,477.
Edgard Zayas will ride Risk Manager from post one for owner Case Chamber.
Summer Cause has more recent experience at marathon distances as he comes out of a fourth-place finish in the two-mile, $150,000 John Forbes Memorial on the grass Far Hills on Oct. 18 and a third in the mile-and-half, $100,000 Presious Passion on the turf at Monmouth Park on Sept. 13.
A 5-year-old gelding by Summer Front, Summer Cause last won at Tampa Bay Downs in April with a length-and-a-half score in a second condition, $25,000 optional claiming going a mile-and-a-sixteenth.
Summer Cause has lifetime revenues of $198,830 from three wins in 16 starts.
Tyler Gaffalione will ride from post three.
Rounding out the field are Dontsplashthepot and jockey Nik Juarez, Coiled with Jorge Ruiz in the saddle, Edwin Gonzalez rides Belouni (Fr), Padiddle will be guided by Miguel Vasquez and Ruddy Buddy and rider Mario Fuentes.
Return to the December 4 issue of Wire to Wire
