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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