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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