In last year’s Knickerbocker H. (G3), FISHY ADVICE (Woodman) set the pace and
was just reeled in late to go down by a head. The David Donk charge adopted
off-the-pace tactics in Sunday’s edition of the $112,900
Knickerbocker, and in a fine role reversal, he got up in the final strides
to catch Thorn Song (Unbridled’s Song) by a length. Under a perfectly timed
Javier Castellano ride, Fishy Advice completed 1 1/8 miles on Aqueduct’s soft
turf in 1:52 to earn his fifth career stakes victory. The 9-2 second choice
returned $11.20, $5.80 and $4.40.
Thorn Song enjoyed a stalking trip in third, watching Giant Wrecker (Giant’s
Causeway) and National Captain (SAf) (Captain Al) duel each other into
submission through splits of :24 3/5, :48 4/5 and 1:13 1/5. In the stretch,
Thorn Song blew past the early leaders to take command, but had no answer when
Fishy Advice came calling on the outside. Sent off at nearly 8-1, the runner-up
gave back $7.90 and $5. Operation Red Dawn (Miswaki) finished energetically for
third, another neck back, to pay $5.60 at 6-1. The exotics totaled $99 (exacta),
$512 (trifecta) and $3,809 (10-3-4-6 superfecta) with Giant Wrecker clinging to
fourth.
Next under the wire came Baron Von Tap (Pleasant Tap), National Captain,
nearly 5-2 favorite Palace Episode (Machiavellian), Rock Lobster (Mt. Livermore)
and Interpatation (Langfuhr). Jungle Fighter (Wild Rush) was withdrawn, along
with the main-track-only trio of Evening Attire (Black Tie Affair [Ire]), Barcola (Old Trieste) and Like Now (Jules).
Fishy Advice has bankrolled $505,850 from his 20-8-3-2 record, which reflects
tallies in the Caesar Rodney S., Laurel Turf Cup S., Battlefield S. and Three
Coins Up S. The five-year-old chestnut has placed in three stakes in addition to
the 2006 Knickerbocker, notably the Palm Beach S. (G3) and John D. Schapiro
Memorial Breeders’ Cup H. He was coming off a rallying fourth in the Cliff
Hanger S. (G3).
Campaigned by Charles Marquis, John Behrendt, William Bloom and Brian
Cornell, Fishy Advice was a $100,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. He
was bred in Kentucky by Alberta Davies and produced from the multiple
stakes-winning and Grade 3-placed Lady Skywalker (Skywalker), who is also
responsible for an unnamed yearling colt by Aldebaran.