breeders' cup classic | Horse Racing Free Tips

Pegasus: Knicks Go Arrives At Gulfstream ‘Happy, Fresh And Full Of Himself’

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go was 'full of himself' on his first morning at Gulfstream Park Tuesday since shipping from New Orleans for a title defense in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by 1 S/T.

The Brad Cox-trained 6-year-old, widely expected to be named Horse of the Year next month, will make the final start of his career in the Pegasus World Cup, which he won last year by a dominating 2 ¾ lengths, before starting a second career as a stallion.

“He shipped in here, arrived last night about 11:30. He settled in fine last night. His temp was good. He looked good this morning walking a little bit. His energy level was really good and we decided to train him,” Cox said. “We just jogged him about a mile and a half. He went really, really good. He seemed happy, fresh and full of himself.”

Following his victory in last year's Pegasus, Knicks Go went on to establish himself as the premier older horse in North America, finishing off his 2021 campaign with a four-race winning streak, including victories in the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga and the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar.

“We're trying to do what we did last year with shipping from New Orleans here. We didn't have a plane this year, but that's all good. That's not going to be an excuse. He's capable of getting on a van and taking his show on the road. He did that from Ellis to Saratoga for the Whitney the week of. It's a similar situation,” Cox said. “He certainly seems like he hasn't regressed one step from the Breeders' Cup. We're in good shape.”

In this year's Pegasus World Cup, Knicks Go, whose victories last year were accomplished with dazzling speed from gate to wire, is expected to receive a serious challenge for pacesetting duties from CHC Inc. and WinStar Farms LLC's Life Is Good, the front-running winner of the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar.

Knicks Go will once again be ridden by Joel Rosario, who has been aboard the Maryland-bred son of Paynter in all 10 starts since he was transferred to Cox.

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Knicks Go Breezes Bullet in Final Tuneup for Pegasus

Knicks Go (Paynter) tuned up for a title defense in Saturday's $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park with a bullet five-furlong workout Sunday morning at Fair Grounds.

The Brad Cox trainee, who captured last year's Pegasus World Cup by 2 3/4 lengths, was timed in 1:00 2/5, the fastest of 57 workouts recorded at the distance at the New Orleans track. Exercise rider Edvin Vargas was aboard. Sunday's breeze was the gray's second straight bullet in a series of eight workouts (seven at Fair Grounds) since capturing the Breeders' Cup Classic by 2 3/4 lengths at Del Mar Nov. 6.

Knicks Go, widely expected to be named 2021 Horse of the Year next month, is scheduled to ship to Gulfstream Park by van Monday for his final career start in the Pegasus, in which he is slated to clash with GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good (Into Mischief).

“He breezed good and we're really happy with him. We'll check him in the morning [Monday] and if everything is good to go, he'll be on the van and head out at 8:30 a.m.,” Cox said. “We'd like to get him there as quickly as possible; I'm thinking it will take around 13 hours. I'm flying in Monday afternoon, so I'll meet him there and we'll be ready to go.”

Post positions for Saturday's Pegasus as well as the $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational and the GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf will be drawn Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in Sport of Kings at Gulfstream Park and can also be viewed on the Pegasus Facebook page and Pegasus website.

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Agent Ron Anderson: Knicks Go ‘Seems To Run Around The Turn As Fast As He Does Around The Straight’

Bet on this: there are at least two sure things when the 2021 Eclipse Award winners are announced at the 51st annual dinner Feb. 10 at Santa Anita: Joel Rosario will be named top jockey and Knicks Go will be named Horse of the Year.

Take it from Ron Anderson, agent for Rosario, the regular rider of Knicks Go, who is set to make his 2022 debut in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park a week from tomorrow on Jan. 29.

“I don't know how they could deny Joel,” said Anderson, who has been his agent since 2012 and who also represents Hall of Fame veteran John Velazquez.

“Joel led the country in graded stakes wins and purse earnings, and he would have broken the records if he hadn't missed time due to injuries, but he had an outstanding year and it's justified that he wins.”

Rosario was aboard Knicks Go in his last four races, winning wire-to-wire as is his wont, including the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar last Nov. 6.

“He was riding at Keeneland last Fall,” Anderson recalled, explaining how Joel got the mount, “and Brad (trainer Brad Cox) needed a rider for Knicks Go in an allowance race. Joel rode him and the horse ran freaky.

“It just so happened the Breeders' Cup was at Keeneland in 2020 and we rode him back and won the (Dirt) Mile. There's no big story to it. I just was riding at Keeneland on the right day, and ended up on Knicks Go who's an awfully unique horse.

“You can't run with him, or you're going to come out feet first, and if you let him go, he's probably one of the very, very best horses around the turns that I've ever seen.

“He seems to run around the turn as fast as he does around the straight. He would have been a crazy bull ring horse back in the day when we had bull rings. When he gets to the three-eighths pole he just takes off, and he runs the turns so well that many can't catch him. If they try and catch up, they spend their energy trying to get within range and then he just takes off again.

“From 1984 to 2021, I've won 38 Breeders' Cup races as an agent, my point being I've been around a lot of really good horses, a lot of good three-year-olds and won 15 Triple Crown races but Knicks Go is maybe as unique a horse as I've ever seen.

“He's going to make the lead, so it will be interesting to see what happens (against Life Is Good in the Pegasus), because basically it's going to be a match race.”

In his most recent race, likely Pegasus starter Life Is Good won the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile wire-to-wire by 5 ¾ lengths on Nov. 6.

“There will be others in the race but it comes down to Life Is Good and Knicks Go,” Anderson said. “Good luck to Life Is Good, but he's not going to be in front of my horse; there's just no way.

“He's not only fast, but more important, he's quick on his feet. It doesn't take him but three or four strides to be gone. When they leave the gate, he's going to be in front, and they're going to have to try and get him at some point.

“It's happened far more than once. He leaves there in front, he's a length or two further in front at the first turn, then it seems they try and catch up going into the turn, and just about that time he takes off again.

“He's a very unique animal and he's been very good to us.”

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Knicks Go Gets Back to Work

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go (Paynter), seeking to become the first repeat winner of Gulfstream Park's $3- million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, recorded his first workout since capturing the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic a month ago.

The dark gray worked what was clocked as a three-eighths of a mile breeze in :36.20 (2/2) under exercise rider Edvin Vargas early Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Trainer Brad Cox said he timed Knicks Go galloping out a half-mile in :48 1/5.

“Well in hand, and I think he was out the five-eighths in 1:01 and 3,” Cox said. “He definitely hasn't regressed since the Breeders' Cup. He's been training extremely well, galloping great. Wanting to do more. You could definitely tell that the last week, 10 days, he was wanting to do more. He was very strong throughout this morning, around both turns and even up the backside [afterward]. The outrider collected him around the half-mile pole, so he seems to be the same Knicks Go that we saw before the Classic.”

Knicks Go is the prohibitive favorite to be voted Horse of the Year and champion older male champion.

Cox, who is seeking to repeat as the Eclipse Award recipient as North America's outstanding trainer, said Knicks Go will ship in a few days to the trainer's New Orleans division at the Fair Grounds.

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