Sharp Debut Winner Local Knowledge Returns in Juvenile Sprint

Pletcher Trainee 3-5 Favorite for Saturday’s 2YO Stakes at Gulfstream

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Local Knowledge is set to return from an eye-catching debut as an imposing 3-5 favorite for Saturday’s $75,000 Juvenile Sprint at Gulfstream Park, where the highly promising Todd Pletcher trainee is set to meet five other 2-year-olds in the 6 ½-furlong headliner on an 11-race program.

Although it was pretty much common knowledge that Local Knowledge was a good one even before his exceptional debut victory, no one could have been entirely sure how he would react should adversity arise.

In addition to producing a first-out 94 Beyer Speed figure on debut in a six-furlong maiden special weight Oct. 4 at Keeneland, Local Knowledge showed that he didn’t need to have his own way by overcoming bumping at the start and a four-wide trip before drawing off to graduate by 1 ½ lengths.

“We thought it was excellent debut. He kind of brushed the side of the gate and didn’t get away cleanly. He had to overcome a little adversity after that but made good progression from his outside post and finished well,” his Hall of Fame trainer. “He trained like he was ready to have a good showing first time out, and he certainly delivered that.”

Local Knowledge, a $625,000 purchase at the OBS April sale, will have the opportunity to add to leading first-crop sire Yaupon’s 2025 success. Yaupon, a son of Pletcher-trained Uncle Mo, was a multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter who closed out his career with a triumph in the 2021 Forego (G1) at Saratoga. While Local Knowledge has already shown himself to be a hot prospect for sprinting distances, Pletcher will let the Kentucky-bred colt decide his future.

“He’s a leggy colt, similar to what we’ve seen with the Uncle Mos over the years. He’s out of a Scat Daddy mare, which we think might add some stretch to him,” said Pletcher, who also trained Scat Daddy. “We’re hoping a race like this might propel him to stretch out a little bit in a race like the Mucho Macho Man and give us an idea in terms of how far he wants to go.”

(The $100,000 Mucho Macho Man, a one-turn mile for newly turned 3-year-olds scheduled for Jan. 3, will be the first stakes on Gulfstream’s Road to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) during the 2025-2026 Championship Meet that will get underway Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27.)

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has the call on Local Knowledge.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is scheduled to double-team Local Knowledge with Hammond and Strategic Reserve, both of whom are owned by C2 Racing Stable LLC and JRM Stables LLC.

Hammond, like Local Knowledge, graduated in the face of adversity in a six-furlong maiden special weight Sept. 7 at Gulfstream, where he was bumped at the start and forced to check and alter course before rallying to win going away by 2 ½ lengths. The son of Charlatan had finished fifth after hopping at the start while debuting in his prior start.

Strategic Reserve won his six-furlong debut by six lengths after recovering quickly from a slow start Aug. 23 at Gulfstream. The son of Munnings was involved in a heated pace last time out in the one-turn mile Aventura before fading to third.

Edgard Zayas has the return mount aboard Hammond (3-1) while Micah Husbands is slated to ride Strategic Reserve (9-2) for the first time.

RRR Racing Inc.’s Rammaas, who was unplaced in his first two career starts, graduated on a sloppy track last time out in a seven-furlong maiden special weight, in which Hammond finished fifth. The Antonio Sano-trained son of Speightstown (6-1) will be ridden back by Edwin Gonzalez.

Sano will also be represented in the Juvenile Sprint by Tonchs Horses LLC’s Camigol, who will seek to rebound from a poor showing in the Oct. 18 Affirmed, the seven-furlong second leg of the Florida Sire Stakes. The son of Neolithic (20-1) had previously shown promise while graduating in his second start before finishing third in the Saratoga Special (G2) and second in the FSS Dr. Fager.

Emisael Jaramillo has the call on Camigol.

Lea Farms LLC’s Thunder Chuck, who finished three lengths behind Camigol while finishing fourth in the Aug. 2 Saratoga Special in his most recent start, will be equipped with blinkers for the first time Saturday. The Jorge Delgado-trained son of Good Magic broke his maiden in his second career race in his prior start at Monmouth Park.

Miguel Vasquez has the mount on Thunder Chuck (15-1).