Formal Decree lays down the law in Knickerbocker

Godolphin Racing's FORMAL DECREE (Ger) (Diktat) took early control of

Saturday's $111,400

Knickerbocker H. (G3), and after a brief challenge around the far turn,

reasserted his superiority to score by three lengths under Jean-Luc Samyn. The

final time for nine furlongs on Belmont Park's firm inner turf was 1:47 2/5.

Formal Decree posted steady splits of :24 4/5 and :48 1/5, with Giant Wrecker

(Giant's Causeway) poised just a length back in second. Giant Wrecker took a run

at the leader through six furlongs in 1:10 4/5, but Formal Decree hurled him

back and quickly put the race away. Sent off as the 7-2 second choice, the

winner furnished mutuels of $9.30, $4.70 and $3.70.

Strike a Deal (Smart Strike) closed from near the back of the pack to garner

second, a neck ahead of Buffalo Man (El Prado [Ire]). The 4-1 runner-up gave

back $4.90 and $3.60, while the 17-1 third-placer returned $6.20. Proudinsky

(Ger) (Silvano [Ger]), the 6-5 favorite, wound up fourth after being well placed

early.

Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Formal Decree was a Group 3 winner in the United

Arab Emirates and Group 1-placed in Germany prior to his importation. After two

solid second-place finishes to kick off his American campaign, Formal Decree

broke through last time with a 1 1/4-length win in the Strawberry Burrah S. over

the same course and distance as the Knickerbocker. The five-year-old gelding now

boasts a record of 26-8-7-2 with earnings of $787,394.

Bred in Germany by Gestut Olympia, Formal Decree is out of the winning

Formida (Highest Honor [Fr]), and his second dam is French Group 3 heroine

Formidable Flight (Formidable).