2021 Pegasus World Cup: Knicks Go

In the days leading up to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, usracing.com will profile the horses in the race set for Jan. 23. The profiles will be updated on Jan. 20 with morning-line odds, post positions and jockeys.

By Ed McNamara

Front-runner made a big splash late in his 2-year-old season, taking the 2018 Breeders’ Futurity at 70-1 odds before running second at 40-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He lost eight in a row and was 2-for-14 lifetime before joining trainer Brad Cox last year and getting back his mojo, going 3-for-3 by an average margin of seven lengths.

He was bet down to 9-5 before dominating the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile by 3 1/2 lengths in a Keeneland-record 1:33.85 while being geared down. Cox said he was surprised Knicks Go went off at that low a price, but his bettors couldn’t have been smarter. He’ll be favored in the Pegasus, where the defection of Bob Baffert’s Charlatan left Knicks Go as the controlling speed.

On paper, he looks tough to go against for a trainer who won a record-tying four races on Breeders’ Cup weekend.

Knicks Go ended up in the Dirt Mile following a 10 1/4-length runaway off a 7 1/2-month layoff.

“If I told you when we ran in that allowance race that we were pointing for the Dirt Mile, I’d have been lying to you,” Cox said. “This all happened quick.”

Almost as quick as Knicks Go, who should be very tough to catch in the Pegasus.

RELATED: 2021 Pegasus World Cup: Tax

Pegasus World Cup Profile: Knicks Go

Post position: TBD

Odds: TBD

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Joel Rosario

Owner: Korea Racing Authority

Age: 5

Career record: 17-5-3-1

Career earnings: $1,348,995

Top Equibase speed figure: 120

Pedigree: Paynter-Kosmo’s Buddy, by Outflanker

Color: Gray/roan

Running style: Front-runner

Notes: Like most people, at first I thought Knicks Go was named by a fan of the NBA’s hapless New York Knicks. Not so. He’s owned by the Korea Racing Authority, and the name is a blend of “K” for Korean and “nicks,” as in nicking patterns for mating horses. So it’s supposed to be pronounced “K-nicks,” but you rarely hear that.

Pegasus World Cup Contenders

Horse
Trainer
Owner
Code of Honor
Shug McGaughey
W.S. Farish
Harpers First Ride
Claudio A. Gonzalez
MCA Racing Stable LLc
Jesus’ Team
Jose D’Angelo
Grupo 7C Racing Stable
Kiss Today Goodbye
J. Eric Kruljac
John Sondereker
Knicks Go
Brad Cox
Korea Racing Authority
Mr Freeze
Dale Romans
Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister
Sleepy Eyes Todd
Miguel Angel Silva
Thumbs Up Racing, LLC
Tax
Danny Gargan
R.A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch
True Timber
Jack Sisterson
Calumet Farm
Math Wizard
Saffie Joseph Jr.
John Fanelli, Khalid Mishref, Cash is King LLC, LC Racing LLC, Collarmele Vitelli Stables LLC, Ioannis, Zouas, Bassett Stables
Independence Hall
Michael W. McCarthy
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC, Verratti, Kathleen and Verratti, Robert N.
Coastal Defense
Dale Romans
Albaugh Family Stables LLC and Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust
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