Mercante Carries Momentum to Wire in River City Stakes

Geldings Mercante and Kupuna turned the six-horse River City Stakes (G3T) into a bit of a match race Nov. 7 at Churchill Downs with Mercante edging to a half-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up. Carl Pollard's homebred Mercante prevailed in the $300,000 River City Saturday as the 6-year-old son of Gun Runner nailed down his first victory of the season and third grade 3 win since March 22, 2025. The win marked the first graded stakes victory for jockey Walter Rodriguez, who previously guided Mercante to a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (G3) in March at Turfway Park. They would not be denied Saturday with a front-running trip on their way to completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.20 on firm turf. "It was very special to get this win today and I can't thank Brian and Mr. Carl Pollard enough," Rodriguez told Churchill Downs media. "I know from riding him this winter at Turfway how nice of a horse he is. He's a very classy horse in the mornings and in the afternoon." Mercante, who earned a grade 1 placing in 2025 on the Churchill turf when second to Spirit of St Louis in the Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), also has supplied trainer Brian Knippenberg his three career graded stakes wins. After breaking from post 2, Mercante held the lead and the inside position throughout as he completed a half-mile in :47.10 and 6 furlongs in 1:10.59. Kupuna, a two-time stakes winner this year for Flying P Stable, shadowed throughout and they raced together out of the far turn before Mercante found just a bit more late. "On paper, he has early speed and I think everyone in the field saw that as well," Rodriguez said. "But, he took me right to the lead and I knew he'd be tough from there. I was proud how well he fought back in the stretch to not let (Kupuna) get by. He dug in the entire way to the wire." Kupuna held second 2 1/4 lengths in front of Vote No in third. Mercante paid $10.12, $4.78, and $3.96 across the board. Bred in Kentucky by CFP Thoroughbreds, Mercante is out of Pollard's champion 2-year-old filly Caressing, a daughter of Honour and Glory, who won the 2000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Mercante is a half brother to multiple grade 1 winner and 2017 champion 3-year-old male West Coast. Viking Wins Bet on Sunshine Also Saturday at Churchill, Viking scored a front-end victory for a third straight outing, this time taking the $300,000 Bet on Sunshine Stakes for 3-year-olds and up. Racing for JoAnn and Alex Lieblong, Viking completed the 6-furlong Bet on Sunshine in 1:09.55 on a fast main track. Trained by David Fawkes and guided to victory by Tyler Gaffalione, Viking blitzed rivals on the front end, completing a quarter-mile in :22.40 and a half-mile in :45.36 on his way to a 3 3/4-length win over runner-up Jack's Promise. Tejano Twist rallied from 10th early to finish third. Viking paid $9.56 to win. Viking, a 5-year-old City of Light gelding, had not raced since the summer when he scored a pair of victories on the front end at Gulfstream Park, taking a handicap in August after winning the Smile Sprint Stakes July 4. Bred in Kentucky by John Fielding, Fred Hertrich III, and Robert Tribbett, Viking is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Justwalkonby.