The Knights time is the right time

Winnipeg Free Press

24-05-2025

In an era of instant gratification and lightning-fast everything, success at Assiniboia Downs is coming to those who've mastered the art of slowing down.
It took leading jockey Rachaad Knights a little time to figure it out when he first arrived at the Downs last year on the recommendation of three-time leading rider Antonio Whitehall, but it's all working at the right speed now.
Knights teamed up with six-time leading trainer Tom Gardipy Jr., who has found his own version of deceleration, to win the sixth race on Tuesday evening at the Downs with a horse named the exact opposite of their style: Nikkitysplit.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Rachaad Knights, the leading jockey at Assiniboia Downs, trains J L Copper on a morning run at the track.
The talented Manitoba-bred three-year-old filly was heavily favoured and expected to romp, which she did, but not the way everyone thought she would. She broke outwards and was a wide fifth in the six-horse field early, but rather than panic as some do, Knights sat calmly and let his filly do her thing. Nikkitysplit took her cue and relaxed nicely for Knights, gaining with every stride on her rivals. She caught the pacesetter in the late turn, opened up passing the eighth pole, and drew out to win by 3 1/2 lengths.
How many times have you seen a hot horse get left in the gate and rushed up into contention by an impatient jockey, only to fade when the running starts? Not this time. The daughter of Speculating-Spiteofsuccess by Midshipman took advantage of her patient ride and called on her pedigree when needed. A half-sister to six winners including Frank Arnason Memorial Sire Stakes winner Private Frank, Nikkitysplit was bred by Jerry Lambert and Lynn Mathews and is owned by the same connections.
The win gave Knights five victories on the year, which is one more than last year's champion Prayven Badrie and Sven Balroop. For Gardipy, it was his fourth win of the season, putting him one behind leader Steve Keplin Jr., who won two races on Wednesday.
The winning collaboration Tuesday between Knights and Gardipy perfectly captured two similar philosophies. The 27-year-old Knights arrived at the Downs last year after riding a few horses every two weeks in Barbados. The three-day-a-week schedule at the Downs increased the speed of his learning in the saddle significantly while slowing down his mind at the same time.
'Back in Barbados we ride every two weeks,' said Knights. 'Here we ride every week, three times a week or twice a week. So you get a lot of opportunities, and if you mess up on one day you can correct the error the next day.'
The accelerated learning curve has taught Knights to slow down mentally even as the physical demands have increased. He's learned to trust his instincts, to let races develop naturally rather than forcing outcomes.
'When you first start in racing everything seems fast,' said Knights. 'But after your first five races, you start to see everything in slow motion. You learn to judge your pace, you know how fast your horse is going, and you know how much horse you have.'
Those skills came naturally to Knights, who won 34 races at the Downs last year including the Coral Prospect Overnight Stakes and the Manitoba Matron aboard star mare Burrow Down.
For Gardipy, whose patient training methods helped prepare Nikkitysplit for her debut performance, the win represented something deeper than just another victory. At nearly 65, the veteran horseman seems to be in the 'zone' these days.
This is a master horseman who's discovered the best results often come when you stop chasing them so desperately. Gardipy's horses consistently show up ready to run because their trainer has learned the difference between preparation and pressure.
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After decades of grinding, of feeling the pressure to perform with every starter, Gardipy has arrived at a place where the joy of training horses matters more than the standings.
Both men have discovered what elite athletes and successful people in many fields eventually learn: sometimes the best way to go fast is to slow down first. Knights has geared down his mental processing to see races more clearly; Gardipy has slowed down his emotional investment to train more effectively and gain more enjoyment from what he does. He also has an excellent team at the barn that includes Jim Ross, Alicia Glover, Kayla Matyas and Travis Gardipy.
'I've been getting lucky,' said Gardipy, a humble response from a trainer who has won six titles. When pressed about potentially winning another title with his 25 horses, he said, 'I'm not even thinking about that. I'm just enjoying myself.'
Nikkitysplit's name suggests speed and urgency, but Tuesday night's collaboration between Gardipy and Knights proved that patience still remains the greatest virtue in a sport built on speed. When you slow down enough to appreciate what you're doing…
You spend more time in the winner's circle.