Knicks Go hits the lawn in Churchill's Commonwealth Turf

With Grade 1 winner Knicks Go entered in Saturday's Grade 3, $175,000 Commonwealth Turf at Churchill Downs, he could make his first start on grass should rain relent soon enough in Louisville, Ky.

An oversubscribed field of 14 (with two also-eligibles) will face the gate in the 16th running of the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year olds.

“I always in the back of my mind thought he’s not a big horse and he does have a bit of a turn of foot," said trainer Ben Colebook. "I’ve worked him on the grass a couple of times and thought at some point we ought to try it. We figured now is a good time to try it.”

The Maryland-bred Knicks Go, a son of Paynter who runs for KRA Stud Farm, is seeking his first victory since gaining national prominence with a 70-1 upset of Keeneland's 2018 Breeders’ Futurity (G1).

His dam, the Outflanker mare Kosmo's Buddy, won three times on the turf, including the 2008 Maryland Millions Turf Sprint Handicap. Paynter's progeny "kind of go both ways" between dirt and turf, Colebrook said, “so there’s always been that grass angle.”

Churchill Downs took its Thursday races off the grass with rain having started overnight. While the forecast is dry Friday and Saturday, temperatures aren't expected to top 50 degrees, limiting how much the course may dry.

Colebrook isn't concerned by the prospect of Knicks Go running on the main track, either

“We’re just trying to see if the horse can handle the grass," he said. "If it’s on the dirt so be it, it’s out of our control. I wouldn’t be opposed to trying him again on a sloppy track.”

A month after the Breeders' Futurity, Knicks Go was still lightly regarded again in betting when he ran second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile to Game Winner at 40.5-1.

His only career career start in the slop followed when he finished 11th of 14 in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) last November at Churchill Downs.

“That was the end of the year and probably a little too close to the Breeders’ Cup,” said Colebrook, noting that it wasn't necessarily the track condition that resulted in an off-the-board finish.

This season, Knicks Go went from the Kentucky Derby trail to finish fifth in Churchill's Matt Winn (G3), second in the Ellis Park Derby and fourth in Louisiana Downs' Super Derby (G3).

Last out, he ran second in allowance company at Keeneland to Lookin At Bikinis, a Chad Brown trainee exiting the Travers Stakes (G1).

Odds maker Mike Battaglia installed Tracksmith, second in the Jefferson Cup at Churchill, as the 5-1 Commonwealth Turf morning line favorite. There are four 6-1 second choices, among them Spectacular Gem, who won the Jefferson Cup.

From the No. 9 post, with Gabriel Saez in the irons, Knicks Go is 12-1 on the morning line.

The Commonwealth Turf goes as the 10th of 11 races Saturday with post time 5:36 p.m. ET.