BY BROCK SHERIDAN
MARCH 30, 1969—Top Knight and jockey Manuel Ycaza raced to the inside of fellow Florida-bred Fast Hilarious through six furlongs in 1:12 then drew off in the stretch to win the $121,800 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park by five lengths.
Trained by Raymond F. Metcalf for Florida sportsman Steven B. Wilson, Top Knight finished the mile-and-one-eighth in 1:48 2/5 with Arts and Letters and jockey Bill Shoemaker second. Al Hattab was third under Ray Broussard followed by Fast Hilarious and Beau Brummel.
Top Knight paid $4.20 to win as the even-money favorite after winning the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah on March 4.
Top Knight would finish fifth as the 2-1 second choice in the Kentucky Derby won by Majestic Prince and was then fourth in the Preakness, also won by Majestic Prince. After finishing fourth behind winner Phi Betta Doc in the Lamplighter Stakes at Monmouth Park, Top Knight was retired to stud.
By Vertex out of Ran-Tan, by Summer Tan, Top Knight was the champion 2-year-old of 1968 after winning the Hopeful at Saratoga Race Course and the Futurity and Champagne at Belmont Park. According to Wikipedia, he won five of nine starts in 1968 including a 15-length maiden score in track-record time at Belmont Park.
Return to the March 29 issue of Wire to Wire
