Mercante (USA) Horse

Country

United States

Foal Date

30-Apr-20

Colour

dark bay or brown

Sire

Gun Runner

Dam

Caressing

Prize Money

1549726

Trainer

Brian Knippenberg

Owners

Carl Pollard

About

Mercante is a 6yo dk b/r horse from the United States trained by Brian Knippenberg. He is sired by Gun Runner out of Caressing. Mercante has won five races so far. On 23 Mar 2025 at Turfway Park he captured his biggest victory to date, taking the $300,000 Twinspires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes. He has been a profitable runner for bettors; backing Mercante throughout his career would have yielded a 70% return on investment.

Raced At

Churchill Downs • Keeneland • Kentucky Downs • Ellis Park • Turfway Park • Saratoga • Belmont Park • Aqueduct

Race Record

Event Summary	Runner Stats	Rank
Churchill Downs 09-Nov-25 1810m R11 River City Stakes (Stakes) $25,500 (of $300,000) Barrier 7, Winning Time: 01:45.580, SP: 15.00 was bumped between horses leaving the gate, laid off of the pace two to three wide, then four wide around the far turn before fanning to the seven path into the lane, yet rallied willingly to reach a share of show at the wire. 1st Wolfie's Dynaghost ( L Saez 121 ) 2nd Taking Candy ( A Concepcion 123 ) 0.00L 3rd Mercante ( J D Ramos 125 ) 0.00L See full results	J D Ramos 56.7kg 0.00L	3 (11)
Keeneland 05-Oct-25 1610m FIRM R10 Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (Stakes) $15,625 (of $1,250,000) Barrier 6, Winning Time: 01:33.610, SP: 51.00 took firm contact from an inner foe soon after the start, then saved ground well back to no avail. 1st Rhetorical ( I O Jr 126 ) 2nd Program Trading ( F Prat 126 ) 0.75L 3rd Brilliant Berti ( J L Ortiz 126 ) 1.00L 9th Mercante ( J D Ramos 126 ) 5.35L See full results	J D Ramos 57.2kg 5.35L	9 (11)
Kentucky Downs 07-Sep-25 2410m GOOD R11 KTDF Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (Stakes) $175,000 (of $2,500,000) Barrier 5, Winning Time: 02:24.720, SP: 10.00 tracked from inside racing up close, failed to rally in the late stages. 1st Ole Crazy Bone ( F Prat 122 ) 2nd Tawny Port ( M Franco 122 ) 0.00L 3rd Corruption ( J L Ortiz 122 ) 0.00L 4th Mercante ( J D Ramos 122 ) 0.00L See full results	J D Ramos 55.3kg 0.00L	4 (11)
Ellis Park 03-Aug-25 1610m R10 KY Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile Stakes (Stakes) $17,500 (of $250,000) Barrier 2, Winning Time: 01:31.760, SP: 3.25 tracked two to three wide, chased the top pair from the four path in upper stretch and ran on evenly. 1st Beach Gold ( K J Asmussen 122 ) 2nd Epic Ride ( E Morales 122 ) 0.75L 3rd Encino ( L Machado 124 ) 1.25L 4th Mercante ( J D Ramos 124 ) 1.75L See full results	J D Ramos 56.2kg 1.75L	4 (9)
Churchill Downs 01-Jun-25 1710m GOOD R9 Arlington Stakes (Stakes) $173,250 (of $275,000) Barrier 8, Winning Time: 01:40.690, SP: 5.00 stalked two wide, vied around the far turn, wrestled a narrow advantage entering the lane, battled with his inner game counterpart through the final furlong and held firm. 1st Mercante ( J D Ramos 118 ) 2nd Brilliant Berti ( B J H Jr 120 ) 0.25L 3rd Lagynos ( F Prat 120 ) 0.75L See full results	J D Ramos 53.5kg	1 (7)
Churchill Downs 04-May-25 1810m GOOD R11 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (Stakes) $200,000 (of $1,000,000) Barrier 9, Winning Time: 01:48.200, SP: 26.00 2w,vied,3-4p upr,game 1st Spirit Of St Louis ( M Franco 123 ) 2nd Mercante ( J D Ramos 123 ) 0.75L 3rd Highway Robber ( D Cannon 123 ) 1.00L See full results	J D Ramos 55.8kg 0.75L	2 (10)
Turfway Park 23-Mar-25 1810m FIRM R10 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (Stakes) $189,000 (of $300,000) Barrier 4, Winning Time: 01:49.080, SP: 13.00 raced in the three path along the first turn, stalked the pace early on, was in the three path into the lane, pulled away with rival in the stretch under a long duel and inched away in the final stages. 1st Mercante ( J D Ramos 120 ) 2nd Encino ( L Machado 120 ) 1.00L 3rd Hush Of A Storm ( V Cheminaud 120 ) 7.75L See full results	J D Ramos 54.4kg	1 (11)
Turfway Park 13-Feb-25 1610m FIRM R5 Race 5 $52,920 (of $84,000) Barrier 2, Winning Time: 01:37.500, SP: 6.50 pressed pace in two path, kept gamely in front stretch gamely. 1st Mercante ( J D Ramos 124 ) 2nd First Strike ( E A Roman 124 ) 0.25L 3rd El Kabong ( C J Lanerie 124 ) 3.00L See full results	J D Ramos 56.2kg	1 (12)
Turfway Park 27-Jan-25 1610m FIRM R5 Race 5 $664 (of $84,000) Barrier 2, Winning Time: 01:39.530, SP: 1.67 pressed pace from two path to far turn, weakened in the stretch. 1st Chiron ( S Doyle 120 ) 2nd Vote No ( A Jimenez 120 ) 0.05L 3rd Gamer ( J Padron-barcenas 120 ) 0.15L 8th Mercante ( I Moncada 120 , Cd 125 ) 5.20L See full results	I Moncada 54.4kg, Cd 56.7kg 5.20L	8 (11)
Turfway Park 15-Dec-24 1610m FIRM R8 Race 8 $51,030 (of $81,001) Barrier 7, Winning Time: 01:36.180, SP: 4.33 good position never far back, rallied far turn went clear in the stretch run. 1st Mercante ( I Moncada 121 , Cd 128 ) 2nd Transcendental ( J D Ramos 118 ) 2.75L 3rd Aleman ( K Leonard 121 ) 4.75L See full results	I Moncada 54.9kg, Cd 58.1kg	1 (12)
Churchill Downs 03-Nov-24 1710m GOOD R9 Race 9 $12,700 (of $127,000) Barrier 10, Winning Time: 01:40.840, SP: 17.00 tracked in the five to four path early on, then three wide down the backstretch, bid three deep around the far turn, failed to sustain pressure while drifting to the five to six path in upper stretch, hung on his left lead before changing over at the sixteenth pole and kept on to threaten again late while securing show. 1st Saint In The City ( F Arrieta 121 ) 2nd Oscar Season ( J Loveberry 118 ) 0.10L 3rd Mercante ( I Moncada 121 , Cd 128 ) 0.60L See full results	I Moncada 54.9kg, Cd 58.1kg 0.60L	3 (12)
Saratoga 23-Jul-23 1710m R8 CL $14,950 (of $149,501) Barrier 8, Winning Time: 01:43.070 angled in towards the rear, rounded the first turn in the two path, settled at the rear, moved from the two path to the three path while roused on the far turn, swung six wide into upper stretch, rallied outside into the final furlong and finished with GOOD energy to garner the show. 1st Taking Candy ( J Lezcano 122 ) 2nd Scramble ( J R Leparoux 122 ) 0.05L 3rd Mercante ( J Alvarado 122 ) 0.75L See full results	J Alvarado 55.3kg 0.75L	3 (9)
Belmont Park 03-Jun-23 1810m GOOD R6 Race 6 $9,500 (of $95,000) Barrier 8, Winning Time: 01:48.670 four then three wide into the first turn, tracked the front three wide from in range, came under coaxing near the quarter pole and swung four wide into upper stretch, rallied to collar the leader a furlong out, knocked heads with that rival when caught by the eventual winner just inside the sixteenth pole and ran on to preserve the show honors on the wire. 1st Mondego ( J Rosario 122 ) 2nd Clever Thought ( R Silvera 122 ) 0.10L 3rd Mercante ( J L Ortiz 122 ) 1.10L See full results	J L Ortiz 55.3kg 1.10L	3 (10)
Aqueduct 14-Apr-23 1610m R6 Md $50,400 (of $80,000) Barrier 4, Winning Time: 01:35.710 went three wide around the first turn, settled towards the rear, was roused two to three wide on the far turn, rallied five wide into the stretch, closed strongly on the outside to make a bid inside the furlong marker and got up to prevail under strong handling. 1st Mercante ( J L Ortiz 118 ) 2nd Whenlovetakesover ( T Mccarthy 118 ) 0.25L 3rd Ohana Honor ( R Silvera 118 ) 0.50L See full results	J L Ortiz 53.5kg	1 (9)
Aqueduct 22-Jan-23 1610m FIRM R9 Md (of $80,000) Barrier 8, Winning Time: 01:38.960 was urged along on the outside, dropped back four wide around the turn and came up empty. 1st Slip Mahoney ( D Davis 120 ) 2nd Crupi ( K Carmouche 120 ) 0.10L 3rd Good Rapport ( H K Harkie 120 ) 15.10L 5th Mercante ( J Lezcano 120 ) 20.35L See full results	J Lezcano 54.4kg 20.35L	5 (10)
Aqueduct 18-Dec-22 1610m FIRM R6 Race 6 $5,950 (of $85,000) Barrier 9, Winning Time: 01:39.050 5w upper, weakened 1st Tapit Trice ( K Carmouche 119 ) 2nd Slip Mahoney ( D Davis 119 ) 0.25L 3rd Summer Cause ( M Franco 119 ) 5.00L 4th Mercante ( J Lezcano 119 ) 9.50L See full results	J Lezcano 54kg 9.50L	4 (8)
Aqueduct 07-Nov-22 1210m FIRM R2 Race 2 (of $85,000) Barrier 1, Winning Time: 01:12.870 Chased ins, no impact 1st Youbetterbejoking ( M Franco 119 ) 2nd Login Required ( E Cancel 119 ) 3.25L 3rd Kool Kathmandu ( D Davis 119 ) 3.50L 5th Mercante ( J Alvarado 119 ) 13.75L See full results	J Alvarado 54kg 13.75L	5 (7)