Andthewinneris is the winner of the Knickerbocker

Photo:

NYRA / Adam Coglianese / Coglianese Photo

Andthewinneris returned to graded stakes-winning form with a
last-to-first victory in Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Knickerbocker Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile,
outer-turf test for 3-year-olds and up at Belmont at the Big A.

The win gave four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad
Brown, who also saddled runner-up Redistricting, a sweep of the weekend’s
graded events at the Aqueduct after capturing the Sands Point (G2) on Saturday
with Spaliday.

Click here for Belmont at Aqueduct entries and results.

Andthewinneris, a 4-year-old son of Oscar Performance,
visited the winner’s circle for the first time since taking the Texas Turf Mile
in January 2023 at Sam Houston. That was when he was in the care of Wayne
Catalano, who also trained the gelding to his first graded win in the Bourbon (G2)
at Keeneland as a juvenile. Owner Susan Moulton transferred her Kentucky homebred
to Brown this spring. He earned his first win in his fourth start since,
improving from a narrow nose defeat last out in a local optional-claiming tilt Sept.
20 and two losses this summer at Saratoga.

Ridden to victory by Dylan Davis, Andthewinneris emerged
from post 2 of five and settled in last place. Siege of Boston took charge past
the wire for the first time to mark an opening quarter-mile in 23.56 seconds
over the firm footing with Fort Washington applying pressure from second.

Davis explained he initially planned to be more forward after
the scratch of speedy Irish Prophet.

“The instructions were to get forward position, because the
main speed scratched,” Davis said. “I came out the best I could with the
distance given. You don’t want to be too crazy, but everyone else was more
intent and broke better than me, so I found myself last.”

Siege of Boston held his command up the backstretch and
through a half-mile in 47.78 seconds with post-time favorite Redistricting
hugging the rail and Reckoning Force running fourth to his outside. Fort
Washington was given his cue after three quarters in 1:11.20, but he spun his
wheels. Reckoning Force swung three wide with Andthewinneris following suit
four wide.

Siege of Boston tired along the inside with Fort Washington
in the two path, leaving loaded Redistricting with nowhere to run entering the
stretch and forcing Manny Franco to angle his charge around the top trio.

Andthewinneris closed furiously down the center of the
course but shied from a left-handed crop and left a gap open for Redistricting
to find his best stride in the final sixteenth. However, Andthewinneris already
got the jump on his stablemate and proved best by a neck with a final time of
1:46.15.

“I started off right-handed on him, and then I pulled the
left when I got close to the competition, and he drifted away from it,” Davis said.
“He shied, but I kept left-handed because was running from it. He was shying
from it, but he was running from it, and it was enough for me to get past the
leaders. I didn’t want to have to switch back to the right and straighten him
up. I think that really helped him a lot.”

Redistricting was a nose better than Reckoning Force with
Fort Washington and Siege of Boston completing the order of finish. Irish
Prophet and main-track-only entrant Film Star were scratched.

Brown said he is grateful to have landed the exacta but
lamented the troubled trip for Redistricting.

“It was nice to run one-two, but it was very frustrating for
Redistricting. I feel bad for his connections, because that horse looked like
he was probably best,” Brown said. “But I’m very proud of Andthewinneris, who
continues to improve for us. He was a victim of a really bad trip in Saratoga
and then got caught in a paceless race last time, so it was his turn to have
the run of the race and have good luck. These two-turn turf races can be
tricky, and he showed up today. I’m very proud of him.”

The Knickerbocker was the first start off a 10-month layoff
for Redistricting, who last was seen being pulled up in the Hollywood Derby (G1)
in December at Del Mar.

“He’s been ready to run for a couple of months now, and we
were struggling to find the right race for him,” Brown said. “He was more than
ready to run today, and my team did a good job off the layoff. He’s an exciting
horse going forward, but I don’t know what I’m going to do with him yet.”

Andthewinneris banked $96,250 in victory while improving his
lifetime record to 14: 4-1-3. He is out of winning Scat Daddy mare Run Like the
Boss, who is a half-sister to stakes-placed Bang for Your Buck.