Exotics plays for the 2026 Knickerbocker Stakes

While Keeneland is busy hosting the Breeders’ Cup, Belmont Park is putting on an 11-race Saturday card highlighted by the $175,000 Knickerbocker S.

Held over 1 3/16 miles on turf, the 2026 Knickerbocker has drawn a quality nine-horse field. We favor the chances of #1 Program Trading (2-1) and recommend betting the accomplished six-year-old on top of exotic wagers.

Knickerbocker exotics plays

• $10 Exacta: 1 with 6,9 ($20)
• $2.50 Trifecta: 1 with 6,9 with 3,5,6,9 ($15)
• $1 Superfecta: 1 with 6,9 with 3,5,6,9 with ALL ($14.40) 
  Total: $49.40

Program Trading has been a stakes horse since 2023, when he won the Saratoga Derby (G1) and Hollywood Derby (G1) during an accomplished three-year-old season. The following year, he added a win in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) to his tally.

Program Trading isn’t quite as effective at the Grade 1 level as he used to be; in his last two starts, he’s finished third in the Christophe Clement Turf (G1) and fourth in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1). But those races took place over 1 1/2 miles, which might be farther than Program Trading wants to run. Earlier this year at Monmouth Park, he won the 1 1/8-mile Monmouth S. and 1 3/8-mile United Nations (G2) in succession.

Dropping down in class and distance for the Knickerbocker should make Program Trading formidable. We’ll key him on top of exacta, trifecta, and superfecta tickets.

Underneath, we’ll emphasize #6 Ole Crazy Bone (3-1) and #9 A Bourbon for Toby (15-1).

Ole Crazy Bone is an effective graded stakes horse on his best day. During the summer, he wired the 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green (G2) over a quality field, and last year he trounced the 1 1/2-mile Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) by 3 3/4 lengths. He’s misfired in his last couple of starts, but perhaps dropping in class will prompt a rebound.

A Bourbon for Toby ran second in the Dinner Party (G2) during the spring and recently closed from out of the clouds to win a 1 1/4-mile $80,000 allowance optional claimer at Belmont Park. In the latter race, he clocked his final quarter-mile in a swift :22.81 to prevail by half a length.

We’ll round out our trifecta with #3 Carson’s Run (10-1 ) and #5 West Hollywood (15-1) before hitting the “ALL” button for the final slot of our superfecta.

Good luck!