Knicks Go

Knicks Go, a Maryland-bred Paynter colt owned by the Korean syndicate KRA Stud Farm, won his career debut in a five-furlong race at Ellis Park during summer 2018 by an eye-catching 3 ½ lengths despite racing greenly. He was then ambitiously placed in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga, when he ran a distant fifth, but rebounded somewhat in his next start when he finished third in the Arlington Washington Futurity on that track’s artificial surface.

That set up a start in the Oct. 6 Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, a “Win and You’re In” qualifying race for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Under jockey Albin Jiminez, Knicks Go led from start to finish, winning by 5 ½ lengths at huge 70-1 odds. His win gave trainer Ben Colebrook his first Grade 1 victory.

Knicks Go turned in a heroic effort in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile, surging past pacesetter Complexity to seize command and battling gamely with heavily favored Game Winner before yielding grudgingly late in a runner-up finish. Knicks Go faded badly in his final start as a 2-year-old when finishing 11^th of 14 in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.

In his 3-year-old debut, Knicks Go ran fifth, beaten by 13 lengths, in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 9 at Tampa Bay Downs. He then was unplaced in three starts before running second in the Ellis Park Derby in August 2019. The winless streak extended to 10 races, including a start on turf in his final race of 2019.

Transferred to trainer Brad Cox, Knicks Go turned things around in 2020. He posted a dominant front-running allowance win Feb. 22 at Oaklawn Park, pulling away to win by 7 1/2 lengths. In October at Keeneland, he used similar tactics to win another allowance race by 10 1/4 lengths going 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland. 

Returning to stakes competition for the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 7 at Keeneland, Knicks Go set a blistering pace and had plenty left in the stretch for a runaway 3 1/2-length victory in a track record time of 1:33.85 for one mile.

In his 2021 debut, Knicks Go once again turned in a dominant gate-to-wire performance. He won the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 23, going the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.89.  The winning streak came to a halt in the $20-million Saudi Cup when Knicks Go faded to finish a well-beaten fourth at King Abdulaziz Racetrack on Feb. 20.

Knicks Go was the odds-on favorite in his return to the races in the Grade 1 Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 5. After setting the pace, he faded in the stretch and finished fourth. However, he bounced back with an explosive 10 1/4-length win in the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap on July 2.

Knicks Go earned his second Grade 1 win of the year on Aug. 7 at Saratoga, when he won the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes in impressive gate-to-wire fashion. With that win, Knicks Go earned a spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Cox decided to keep his charge at Churchill Downs leading up to the 2021 Breeders’ Cup, and Knicks Go made his final prep race for the $6 million, Grade 1 Longines Classic a winning one on Oct. 2, using his formidable cruising speed to score by four lengths in the $400,000, Grade 3 Lukas Classic, nearly setting a new track record for 1 1/8 miles.

Knicks Go cemented his place in racing history on Nov. 6, 2021 at Del Mar, when he won the Classic by 2 3/4 lengths in gate-to-wire fashion. He gave trainer Brad Cox his first win in the Classic, and became the first Maryland-bred to win this race since Cigar in 1995. 

Knicks Go made his final career start in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Presented by 1/ST BET on Jan. 29, 2022. He was the odds-on choice to become the first horse to win the Pegasus in back-to-back years. He wasn't able to get to his customary spot on the lead, and although he closed well, he had to settle for second behind runaway winner Life Is Good. 

Based on his superb 2021 season, Knicks Go was an easy choice for Eclipse Award voters as both champion older dirt male and Horse of the Year.