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And now, the 2019 Belmont Stakes winner comes into Saturday’s $3 million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational as a mature, fresh 6-year-old. His trainer, Mark Casse, thinks the son of Awesome Again could be awesome again Saturday.

It’s a tough ask and Casse knows it. There’s the looming, Eclipse-Award-in-waiting shadow of Knicks Go and the feisty, frighteningly fast presence of Life Is Good. The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup is right in the distance wheelhouse for two of North America’s most dominant horses. They accounted for two Breeders’ Cup victories last fall: Knicks Go in the Classic and Life Is Good in the Dirt Mile. And Knicks Go won this race last year.

“It’s funny, but I think he enjoys his job now more than before,” Casse told Gulfstream Park about Sir Winston. “He’s very professional. He always has been, but he trains better, acts better. This is going to be a heck of a race. Hopefully, we can get a piece of the pie. … It looks like there will be some serious pace. Obviously, he needs a lot of things to go his way. He’s feeling really well and we believe he deserves a chance.”

Sir Winston has been here before

Casse exudes a sense of calm. Almost like he did in June 2019, when Sir Winston came into Belmont Park as a 14/1 afterthought. He was a bigger afterthought in his own stable, because stablemate War of Will just captured the Preakness Stakes three weeks earlier.

Sir Winston’s Triple Crown trail escapades led nobody to believe he deserved a second thought. He finished off-the-board in three Kentucky Derby stops: the Grade 3 Withers (fourth), the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby (fifth) and the Grade 2 Blue Grass (seventh).

That kept him out of the Derby, but a second in the Grade 2 Peter Pan at Belmont Park put him in the Belmont Stakes a month later. He not only handled War of Will (who finished ninth), but Sir Winston ran down favored Tacitus in the stretch to win the third leg of the Triple Crown.

‘You’re missing someone’

“I told people before the Belmont,’ I think you’re missing somebody.’ I said, ‘It wouldn’t shock me if he won.’ He was doing really well,” Casse said. “I kind of feel the same way now.”

Casse didn’t feel that way in 2020. He took Sir Winston to Dubai for the Dubai World Cup. Less than a week before the race, organizers canceled the race due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then blowing up worldwide.

“We brought him back and it really knocked him on his rear,” Casse said. “He just didn’t come back the same horse. We ran him a few times and he didn’t run great. We just sent him home to (owner/breeder) Tracy’s (Farmer) farm and gave him a long time off. He’s come back and has gotten better and better.”

Take the rest of the year off … and most of next year too

Casse and Farmer ran Sir Winston three times after his Middle East sojourn. His best finish was a second in the Listed Flat Out Stakes at Belmont Park in June 2020. Two starts later, after a fourth in the Black-Type Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs, Casse shut Sir Winston down for nearly a year.

He brought him back last August — in Canada. Casse took Sir Winston to his Woodbine barn and turned him loose for four races. Sir Winston responded by winning an Aug. 19 allowance and the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes Dec. 5. In between, he finished second in the Grade 3 Durham Cup and the Grade 2 Autumn.

Four races and not a finish out of the exacta. The two losses came by three-quarters of a length (to Special Forces in the Durham) and a half-length (to Mighty Heart in the Autumn).

Sir Winston has something not even Knicks Go has

No wonder Casse thinks Sir Winston enjoys his job more. Again, it’s a tough ask to run down Knicks Go and Life Is Good, who went a combined 9-for-12 last year. But Sir Winston has something both superhorses lack. Something Casse remembers from that June week in 2019:

A Triple Crown race victory. If Sir Winston can channel that race from 2 1/2 years ago, who knows what could happen. After all, the longer the race, the more he likes it.

“I think he’s really back to himself and doing really well,” Casse said.

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Pletcher won the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational last year with Colonel Liam, who will return to defend his title in the same race on the Jan. 29 card. His best finish in the dirt edition of the race is a third with Neolithic in 2017.

The Pegasus World Cup and Pegasus World Cup Turf headline Gulfstream Park’s seven-graded stakes card that day. They also give Pletcher, who owns 18 Gulfstream Championship Meet titles, a chance to burnish his Hall of Fame credentials.

The races give race fans a chance to see Dirt Mile champion Life Is Good tangle with Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Knicks Go in an early 2022 marquee matchup. Knicks Go will also return to defend his Pegasus title in what will likely be his farewell race before he heads off to stallion duty.

Life Is Good was very good in the Dirt Mile

Life Is Good comes into the Pegasus off one of the most dominant Breeders’ Cup outings of any winner. His 5 ¾-length romp as the 3/5 favorite in the Dirt Mile was the largest victory margin of any Breeders’ Cup winner. And it whetted the appetite to see what the son of Into Mischief can do in 2022.

“He’s an extremely impressive horse to watch train. What everybody saw in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile is what we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in his training,�?Pletcher said.

This promises to be a clash of two front-runners. Knicks Go’s ability to seize the lead and take all the oxygen out of his competitors is well-documented. All you need to do is watch his 2 ¾-length front-running victory in the Classic.

One turn, two turns, neither faze him

As for Life Is Good, he’s set the pace in all six of his races. Unlike Knicks Go, who had trouble with one-turn races, Life Is Good found the winner’s circle in one-turn jaunts like the Kelso, which he won by 5 ½ lengths. He also won two-turn trips, such as the Grade 2 San Felipe, which he won by eight lengths, and the Dirt Mile.

The only race he hasn’t won in six events is the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga. Life Is Good held the lead into the stretch before Jackie’s Warrior nosed him out by a neck. That race came at seven furlongs and after a 5 ½-month layoff, none of which detracts from the fact Life Is Good won races at distances from 6 ½ furlongs to 1 1/16 miles.

“He’s got speed and the ability to carry it over a route of ground,�?Pletcher said. “He’s just a very, very talented, impressive horse. We’re optimistic that he’ll continue to stretch out. He certainly trains like a horse that wants to go further. We’re excited about getting him back for next year.�?/p>

Can Colonel Liam find his command again?

Colonel Liam, meanwhile, opened 2021 as the older male turf horse to beat. He won the Pegasus World Cup Turf, then grabbed the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial and the Grade 1 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs. But, after a miserable eighth by nearly 11 lengths in the Grade 1 Manhattan on the Belmont Stakes undercard, Pletcher put him on the shelf for the duration of the year.

Colonel Liam emerged with two, three-furlong workouts in December. Both came on dirt at Palm Beach Downs: a bullet 37.67-second work out Dec. 10, and a 38.26-second effort on Dec. 2. That latter workout was Colonel Liam’s first since a 48.05-second turf breeze at Saratoga on July 24.

“He’s at Palm Beach Downs now and training really well. We’re looking forward to having him defend his Pegasus World Cup Turf title,�?Pletcher said. “Hopefully, everything goes smoothly. He’s doing well at the moment.�?/p>

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Cox originally targeted Knicks Go for the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park on Memorial Day. He told the Daily Racing Form via text that he called the audible because Baffert’s star 4-year-old, Charlatan, won’t be at Belmont Park.

Baffert had the Met Mile on Charlatan’s itinerary since the spring. But the colt suffered an undisclosed setback last week. He stopped training and reposed to a Kentucky farm.

Of course, the avoid Baffert game is easier to play these days, especially in New York, where the Hall of Fame trainer is suspended from running or stalling horses. The New York Racing Association-imposed ban came after Baffert’s Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit tested positive for excessive amounts of betamethasone.

The Met Mile field just got better with Knicks Go

Cox didn’t respond to a text from OG News seeking comment on Knicks Go’s move.

Knicks Go immediately adds cachet to one of the top mile events in the country. He joins a strong list of Met Mile contenders, including Silver State, Mischievious Alex, Dr Post, and Lexitonian. Ny Traffic and Rushie are also possible runners.

He adds that cachet coming out of his fourth-place finish in the $20 million Saudi Cup. That snapped a four-race winning streak that included the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last November and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January. Cox played the avoiding Baffert game after watching Charlatan finish second in the Saudi Cup to European contender Mishriff.

Besides Knicks Go, Cox has a full festival plate

Cox will be one of the busier trainers during the June 3-5 Belmont Racing Festival. Aside from Knicks Go, the Eclipse Award-winning conditioner sends Essential Quality into the Belmont Stakes as the presumed favorite. The DRF reported Cox’s Shedaresthedevil and Bonny South are both entered in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps. Travel Column �?last seen finishing fifth in the Kentucky Oaks �?will run the Grade 1 Acorn.

Those two filly and mare races are on the Belmont Stakes undercard, as is the Grade 1 Woody Stephens, where you’ll likely see Cox’s Caddo River. The one-time Kentucky Derby hopeful dials back to seven furlongs for the sprint.

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Trainer Brad Cox announced Knicks Go’s next go-moment during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association call on Thursday. Lone Star Park in the Dallas suburbs isn’t exactly center stage for one of the top older horses in North America.

But Cox sees the Grade 3, two-turn mile as the perfect return engagement for the Paynter offspring.

“We feel he’s better around two turns. It’s a graded stakes, and I feel like it’s a great opportunity, or a great race to get him started back post-Middle East,�?Cox said on the call. “Once again, you’re hopeful that they come back and perform after the long trip on the other side of the world.�?/p>

Recovery time crucial after worldly travels

That’s always a concern for horses returning from winter sojourns halfway around the world. Some recover better than others. Some struggle to find their previous form.

In Knicks Go’s case, he needed all the time off Cox could give him. Knicks Go came into the 1 1/8-mile Saudi Cup with the invincible aura of a runaway freight train. A month earlier, he captured the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. That came barely two months after he blitzed the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile field by 3 ½ lengths in record time.

A month before that, in early October, Knicks Go dissected an allowance optional claiming field at Keeneland by 10 ¼ lengths. That race brought Knicks Go back from a 7 ½-month layoff following a February allowance optional claiming victory at Oaklawn Park.

Saudi Cup a bridge too far for Knicks Go

The Saudi Cup’s nine furlongs seemed to be a race too far. Knicks Go and Charlatan were the overwhelming favorites for the $20 million race, the two pacesetters, and the race’s primary speed. But their speed duel wiped out Knicks Go in early stretch and took enough out of Charlatan for English horse Mishriff to pull the upset. He passed both down the stretch for the victory.

Meanwhile, Knicks Go finished fourth, 8 ½ lengths back.

Since then, Cox put Knicks Go through four April workouts at Churchill Downs. His most recent, a moderate 1:02.00 clocking for five furlongs on April 30.

His most impressive: a bullet 36.6-second clocking for three furlongs on April 9. That was his first work since the Saudi Cup.

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And if there was ever an example of giving a horse just one more chance, well, here’s Exhibit B. Because at this time last year, Knicks Go was on the verge of retirement.

Now, he’s on the verge of equine superstardom. The 5-year-old Paynter offspring is one of the two favorites for Saturday’s Saudi Cup. Knicks Go went from underachieving, distracted colt to front-running horse on a mission.

To learn how, we have to go back to the end of 2019 when Knicks Go was an aggressive colt who liked to train. He didn’t like to race, however, even though the talent was there. Knicks Go was a 70/1 Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old and finished second at 40/1 to Game Winner in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Knicks Go Found His Horse Whisperer

In other words, Knicks Go fell into the trap that’s captured thousands of horses over the years. They never find the right outlet, trainer, or system to maximize their talent, and their results don’t match their potential.

So, how could a horse with this much speed, who loved to run, win only two of 14 races under former trainer Ben Colebrook? How could, in November 2019, Knicks Go finish 10^th out of 11 horses in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs?

The Korea Racing Authority, which owns Knicks Go, stopped scratching their heads. Instead, they put them together. Robby Medina, the general manager of Blackwood Stables and former assistant trainer to Shug McGaughey, called Cox and asked him to take Knicks Go and see what he could do.

Apprentice Riders Need Not Apply

“They warned us he’s an aggressive horse who likes to train,�?Cox told the Saudi Cup notes team. “It really takes a good rider to handle him. He’s forward, he’s tough and he’s eager, and that makes him a very good workhorse. You lead him over to the races with confidence because of that.�?/p>

Knicks Go’s first race under Cox came 3 ½ months later �?an allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn Park. And it was a revelation. With Cox asking for a front-running, seize-the-moment race, Knicks Go led at every call. He pulled away down the stretch and won by 7-½ lengths. His 109 Equibase Speed Figure was a 22-point improvement over his November figure.

“The first race he had with us was (an allowance condition) at Oaklawn and we thought, ‘If this horse doesn’t show up and run, then mentally he’s done. Because you can’t train that well and not compete,’�?Cox said. “Then he showed up and ran big, but had a setback, and the owners were talking about retiring him. But I told them we should just give him the time and see how he comes back. And if he doesn’t, then we can just retire him.�?/p>

Cox Earned More Than His Keep With One Decision

That’s how close Knicks Go came to going bye-bye. After 7-½ months on the shelf, Cox talked his KRA owners into giving Knicks Go another shot. That shot came at Keeneland in an October allowance where Knicks Go turned in a 10-¼-length demolition of his rivals.

His 116 Equibase remains his career-high, a tick above his 114 for his record Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile victory a month later (114) or the 115 for his Pegasus World Cup win last month.

Those two victories put Knicks Go on a fast break reminiscent of another late bloomer, Arrogate. He won seven races between June 2016 and March 2017, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup, which was then the richest race in the world.

Knicks Go almost didn’t run the Pegasus, but Cox saw speed figures that changed his mind. Two weeks before the race, Knicks Go turned in a 1:39 mile gallop at Fair Grounds. Cox was sold.

Simple Running Makes Knicks Go Go Faster

“I don’t know how anyone else trains but myself, but one thing we do with him and all our horses, is we allow them to train on,�?Cox said. “We let them stretch their legs and do strong gallop-outs and keep them happy. Two weeks before the Pegasus, he put in a phenomenal piece of work that gave us the confidence that he would go (1,800 meters, the Saudi Cup distance) �?We put draw reins on him and let him gallop. He raced a lot as a 3-year-old, was lightly raced as a 4-year-old, and now is totally sound as a 5-year-old, and you can see that in the way he moves. He floats over the ground right now.�?/p>

That’s not to say Knicks Go is an easy ride. Not hardly. Cox told jockey Joel Rosario before his Keeneland allowance win that he’d “just have to hold on.�?Rosario had no problems, telling Cox “man, this is a really nice horse.�?The two are unbeaten in three races together.

Knicks Go Returns 35.5 Times His Price Tag

Meanwhile, Knicks Go �?an $87,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase in 2017 �?brings career earnings north of $3 million into the Saudi Cup. A win here puts a �?’ before the �?’ giving him more than $13 million. And this is February of his 5-year-old campaign. There remain many lucrative spots for Knicks Go, including the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Whitney, and of course, the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The retirement talk can wait until then. Knicks Go has more to prove. But Cox, never one to rest on a horse’s laurels, remembers what he and his owners were thinking about at this time last year. That was more than $2.3 million ago.

“It was that time of year, around March, when it wasn’t like he could go off to stud and get any business, so we brought him back and it worked out well, obviously,�?Cox said.

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Betting in January climbed 9.57% from January 2020’s numbers to $959,602,269. That followed a 6.24% boost in December wagering, signifying that horseracing may be rebounding out of 2020’s pandemic-related morass.

Because of the pandemic, comparing year-over-year economic indicator figures for 2021 is tricky. That said, comparing January 2021 to last year provides an apples-to-apples comparison, because the coronavirus didn’t begin impacting races until March 2020.

What this January told us is while several economic indicators, such as races and purses, continue their slumps, several others rebounded. Average wagering per race day climbed 21.6%, likely a byproduct of a 6% decrease in January races. US tracks ran 2,211 races this January, compared to 2,352 last year.

More Weekends Didn’t Result in More Races

Interestingly, this January featured five weekends, compared to four in January 2020. On the surface, that should provide for more starts and more race days. But, race days fell nearly 10%, from 283 to 255.

That brought a corresponding decline in purses, which suffered a 13.24% dip in December. January, however, brought a bounce in purses, along with the calendar flip. Purses in January dropped only 1.41% to $71,102,287.

Along with that, came a jump in average purses per race day. Those climbed nearly 9.5% to $278,832. That came with the fewer race days and the modest drop in purses.

Bigger Field Sizes Help Handle

The average field size �?which showed growth throughout 2020 because of fewer opportunities �?vaulted to 8.09 starters-per-race. That’s a 1.75% increase from 2020. Larger field sizes generally bring larger handles to tracks. Horseplayers want to bet races with more opportunities for beating favorites. Those come with bigger fields and a greater dispersion of odds.

The Pegasus World Cup provided a clear example. That $3 million event and its sister, the Pegasus World Cup Turf, marked the first Grade 1 events of 2021. Both enjoyed competitive, 12-horse fields and, even with limited spectators, Gulfstream Park enjoyed its third-largest handle in event history at $40.7 million.

A week later, the Florida track broke its record for the Holy Bull day handle.

After Everything in 2020, Handle Barely Moved

Overall, January’s numbers show the sport slowly emerging from the pandemic crater of last spring. But, even during a wild, unpredictable year with tracks closing and reopening and most tracks not allowing spectators �?thus cutting deep into handle �?total 2020 handle dropped barely 1%.

This was a byproduct of the major advance deposit wagering (ADW) platforms enjoying a banner 2020. Due to the pandemic, ADWs provided many bettors with their only wagering options. TVG and its partner, FanDuel Racing, became the largest ADW in the country last year, reporting 50,000 new customers while taking in $1.89 billion through the first three quarters of 2020. That provided a 95.8% increase in handle over 2019.

Thoroughbred Economic Indicators-January 2021

Source: Equibase

Final 2020 numbers aren’t in yet, but the three biggest ADWs, TVG, XpressBet, and TwinSpires racked up $4.8 billion in 2020 handle through September. That reflects a 47.4% combined jump from 2019.

And NYRA Bets, the fourth-largest ADW in the US, reported $169 million in total handle through September. That came within an eyelash (99.6% increase) of doubling its 2019 handle.

Economic Indicators Telling Mixed Stories

All this translates into the mixed-message bag we’ve grown accustomed to during the pandemic — along with that barely perceptible drop in 2020’s total handle. The good news on one front is balanced by not-so-good news on another. After all, increased ADW wagering means more people are drawn to horseracing. But few — if any — can watch it at the track, where the real experience lies.

January’s numbers begin to illustrate where the sport is going. But, the crystal ball this early in the year remains anything but crystal clear.

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Knicks Go brought this lesson home in gate-to-wire fashion, winning the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday afternoon. It’s certainly understandable if Knicks Go’s victory was nothing but a blur, because that’s exactly how he won his fourth consecutive race.

Knicks Go clocked sizzling fractions of 22.9 for the first quarter-mile, 46.16 for the half-mile, 1:09.91 for three-quarters, and 1:34.92 for the mile. Fractions so fast, they gave trainer Brad Cox cause for pause. That is, until Knicks Go crossed the wire 2-¾ lengths in front of the ever-present, ever-plucky Jesus’ Team.

The same Jesus’ Team who finished 3-½ lengths behind Knicks Go 11 weeks ago in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Knicks Go Proved His Speed Translates to Nine Furlongs

“When a horse is up front and they’re going that quick, you’re always a little bit concerned,�?Cox told Gulfstream Park after the race. “Joel (Rosario), he has a lot of confidence in the horse and the horse has confidence in him, so it worked out great.�?/p>

Since Knicks Go moved to Cox’s barn from Ben Colebrook’s in early 2020, things have worked out great for the horse, jockey, and most of all, the trainer. Knicks Go won his four races under Cox by a combined 24 lengths. In his last two races — both Grade 1s — Knicks Go proved he can maintain his blazing speed over increased distances.

That was the only question surrounding the 5-year-old son of Paynter. Knicks Go came into the 1-1/8-mile Pegasus without any race longer than 1-1/16 miles on his resume. There are no further questions about Knicks Go’s distance capabilities. Not after clocking his second consecutive 108 Beyer Speed Figure in a Grade 1.

“He is one of the top handicap horses in the country now,�?Cox said. “He’s a top horse. This is what you get up for every day, seven days a week, long days for moments like this.�?/p>

Saudi Arabia Awaits — Unless it Doesn’t

As for Knicks Go’s next moment to savor, Cox said he’ll decide what that may be in the next two weeks or so. With his Pegasus win, Knicks Go earned a spot in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20.

Cox said he’ll take Knicks Go back to his Fair Grounds barn and see how he responds coming out of the Pegasus. After giving his prize charge a 10-day review, Cox will decide whether to make the long trek to Saudi Arabia.

Should Cox and his owners make that trek, horseracing gets a good one: Knicks Go vs. Bob Baffert’s Charlatan, who passed on the Pegasus. Two speed horses at the top of their games. Regardless of whether he runs in Saudi Arabia or not, Knicks Go’s Korea Racing Authority owners said he will race through 2021.

Jesus’ Team, Independence Hall Provide Nice Exotic Payoffs

As we said, enjoy Knicks Go while you can.

Knicks Go paid $4.60 going off as the 6/5 favorite. Jesus’ Team hit the board at 11/1, completing a $43 payoff for a $2 exacta ticket. Independence Hall finished a neck behind Jesus’ Team, completing the trifecta at 27/1. That 50-cent trifecta paid $175.05.

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We’re about to find out what the richest dirt race for older horses in North America �?non-Breeders’ Cup division �?looks like without the preeminent dirt trainer of our era. And yes, a $3 million race without a Baffert entry or two looks rather odd. Like Picasso in his later days.

It may not be a racing work of art, but the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus will run at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The winner will get a berth in a bigger, open-air equine ATM �?the $20 million Saudi Cup. In addition, the winner will take home a season-making paycheck along with that Grade 1 win on the resume.

The Pegasus World Cup co-headlines a 12-race, seven-stakes Gulfstream card on Saturday. It sends 12 horses with varying resumes 1-1/8 miles, sans race-day medication. And, as noted above, it does so without Baffert’s considerable presence and overwhelming shadow hovering over the proceedings.

Baffert’s Pegasus Presence Part of the Scenery

Baffert won two of the four previous Pegasus editions with the late Arrogate in 2017, and with Mucho Gusto last year. The latter was expected back this year before a soft-tissue injury sent him into retirement.

This transfers the oxygen and attention to the up-and-coming Brad Cox, and the up-and-going Knicks Go. The 5/2 favorite, Knicks Go is enjoying career salvation since joining Cox’s barn early last year. He was one of the country’s top 2-year-olds in 2018, winning the Breeders’ Futurity by 5-½ lengths, and finishing second to Game Winner in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

And that’s where Knicks Go fell off the fast track. After that Breeders’ Futurity romp, Knicks Go went 0-for-his-next-10. That dunking included an 0-for-8 3-year-old campaign before he moved to Cox in early 2020.

Cox Fast-Breaks Knicks Go Into an Elite Horse

From there, Knicks Go went. Hard and fast, if not often. He won all three of his 2020 starts, coming off a 10-¼-length allowance romp into a record-breaking victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Now, Knicks Go tackles nine furlongs for the first time, something Cox has no qualms about.

“I think he’s a horse that once he gets free and loose, he runs with a lot of confidence,�?Cox told Gulfstream Park. “I’m excited. I really do think he’ll handle a mile and an eighth. In his three races with us last year, there was horse left. In the Breeders’ Cup, Joel (Rosario) reached up and grabbed him four or five jumps from the wire, so he was still going.�?/p>

If Knicks Go didn’t have that all that going for him, there’s his cushy No. 4 post. This is crucial at Gulfstream, where the first turn of the nine-furlong race comes only 150 yards from the gate. This puts inside horses at a distinct advantage. You need to be a superhorse to win this race from outside Post 9 because your options and margin for error disappear faster.

Code of Honor Needs to Decipher Outer Post

That’s where second-favorite, Code of Honor (9/2), finds himself in Post 10. This will undoubtedly slow down the usual blizzard of money this 5-year-old, multiple Grade 1 winner draws. Then again, there’s the fact that, since winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2019, Code of Honor is 1-for-5. Through that stretch, he does have two seconds and a third in Grade 1s.

What hampers Code of Honor and jockey Tyler Gaffalione, aside from their outside post, is his closer status. Without Baffert’s Charlatan â€�?who opted for the Saudi Cup â€�?Knicks Go is the true front-end speed here. Lone speed is always an advantage, unless you’re Tax (5/1), Sleepy Eyes Todd (8/1), or last year’s Pegasus runner-up, Mr. Freeze (15/1), who need Knicks Go’s fast break to slow down.

Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational/Gulfstream Park

Morning Line (Jockey/Trainer)

1. Sleepy Eyes Todd, 8/1 (Jose Ortiz/Miguel Angel SIlva)
2. Coastal Defense, 20/1 (Corey Lanerie/Dale Romans)
3. Independence Hall, 20/1 (Flavien Prat/Mike McCarthy)
4. Knicks Go, 5/2 (Joel Rosario/Brad Cox)
5. Jesus’ Team, 8/1 (Irad Ortiz Jr./Jose D’Angelo)
6. Kiss Today Goodbye, 10/1 (Mike Smith/Eric Kruljac)
7. Tax, 5/1 (Luis Saez/Danny Gargan)
8. Harpers First Ride, 10/1 (Angel Cruz/Claudio Gonzalez)
9. Last Judgment, 20/1 (Paco Lopez/Mike Maker)
10. Code of Honor, 9/2 (Tyler Gaffalione/Brad Cox)
11. Freeze, 15/1 (John Velazquez/Dale Romans)
12. Math Wizard, 20/1 (Edgard Zayas/Saffie Joseph Jr.)

That doesn’t leave many pieces for closers like Code of Honor and Jesus’ Team (10/1), a gutsy, one-time $32,000 maiden claimer winner who’s back for another plucky Grade 1 effort. After finishing third in the Preakness and second to Knicks Go â€�?at 62/1 with a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure â€�?in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, why not?

From Maiden Claimer to Stakes Winner

Jesus’ Team started 2020 with that maiden claiming victory. He closed it winning his first stakes race, the Claiming Crown Jewel. That came at Gulfstream at 1-1/8 miles, further cementing his overachieving status. He starts just outside Knicks Go in Post 5, with ace rider Irad Ortiz Jr. at the reins.

Speaking of Ortiz, his brother, Jose rides Sleepy Eyes Todd for the first time. If there was ever a horse needing a more accurate name, it’s Sleepy Eyes Todd. After all, his 2020 was anything but a snooze. The Sleepy Eyes Todd 2020 Tour turned him loose eight times at eight different tracks in seven states. He won stakes races at Nebraska’s Fonner Park, West Virginia’s Charles Town, Kentucky’s Keeneland, and Florida’s Gulfstream.

Along the way, he visited Texas (both Sam Houston and Lone Star), Louisiana (Fair Grounds), and California (Santa Anita). Also along the way, Sleepy Eyes Todd clocked triple-digit Equibases in six of the eight races. His latest wake-up call comes from the rail, not a bad place to be at Gulfstream.

Can the Pegasus Prompt a Return to Tax Season?

Then, there’s Tax, who returns to the Pegasus after a horrible start turned into a ninth-place finish last year. He seeks redemption from Post 7, doing so fresh off a stellar 4-¾-length victory in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday in mid-December. That came with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

It also came after a seven-month layoff following his fifth in the Oaklawn handicap.

“He’s better now than he’s ever been,�?trainer Danny Gargan said. “We always knew he was a really good horse. He’s grown and developed into a better horse than he was last year. I think with age, he’s getting better and getting stronger, healthier. He had a few little issues we had to work through, and he’s gotten through them.�?/p>

The pick: Knicks Go. He’s not worth singling in multi-race wagers, but a definite key in vertical exotics here. He has all the elements in place: great trainer, great post, great form, and serious speed. Did we mention he ran a 108 Beyer and a 120 Equibase in the Breeders’ Cup? Without a Baffert runner here, bettors will dunk on Knicks Go’s odds at the window, leaving spaces for Sleepy Eyes Todd, Tax, Jesus’ Team and, perhaps, Code of Honor on your vertical exotics.

The post Without Baffert, Knicks Go’s Fast Break Makes Him Pegasus Favorite appeared first on nrxhb.shop | OG News.

The $3 million, Grade 1 Pegasus is the richest non-Breeders’ Cup race for older horses in North America. The 1-1/8-mile race will seize the continent’s racing attention on Saturday. It shares billing on the 12-race Gulfstream Park program with the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.

The post-position draw and odds for that Grade 1, 1-3/16 mile race also went off Wednesday. Colonel Liam, one of trainer Todd Pletcher’s turf trio, grabbed tepid 7/2 favorite status over stablemate Largent (9/2).

As for Knicks Go, he comes in off a record-breaking victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and falls into a good post. Horses in good form tend to thrive in the Pegasus. So do horses with inside posts. Those are important at Gulfstream because the starting gate for the 1-1/8 mile jaunt is only 150 yards from the clubhouse turn.

Pegasus Draw Forces Outer Riders Into Tough Choices

That puts pressure on horses drawn wide. It forces their jockeys into a Hobson’s choice of either firing out fast to get into the lead by the turn, or falling back inside early to save ground. Neither option leaves their riders much in terms of further options later in the race.

This dilemma puts pressure on horses like second-favorite Code of Honor (9/2), who’s outside in Post 10. While Barbaro won the Florida Derby from Post 10 and Gun Runner won the Pegasus from Post 10, those are two of this century’s elite horses. As nice a horse as Code of Honor is, he’s not Barbaro or Gun Runner. And while Mucho Gusto won last year’s Pegasus after drawing Post 10, he actually started in Post 8 after two scratches.

Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational/Gulfstream Park

Morning Line (Jockey/Trainer)

1. Sleepy Eyes Todd, 8/1 (Jose Ortiz/Miguel Angel SIlva)
2. Coastal Defense, 20/1 (Corey Lanerie/Dale Romans)
3. Independence Hall, 20/1 (Flavien Prat/Mike McCarthy)
4. Knicks Go, 5/2 (Joel Rosario/Brad Cox)
5. Jesus’ Team, 8/1 (Irad Ortiz Jr./Jose D’Angelo)
6. Kiss Today Goodbye, 10/1 (Mike Smith/Eric Kruljac)
7. Tax, 5/1 (Luis Saez/Danny Gargan)
8. Harpers First Ride, 10/1 (Angel Cruz/Claudio Gonzalez)
9. Last Judgment, 20/1 (Paco Lopez/Mike Maker)
10. Code of Honor, 9/2 (Tyler Gaffalione/Brad Cox)
11. Freeze, 15/1 (John Velazquez/Dale Romans)
12. Math Wizard, 20/1 (Edgard Zayas/Saffie Joseph Jr.)

When City of Light won in 2019, he led a four-horse, inside superfecta across the wire. He broke from Post 3, runner-up Seeking the Soul from Post 4, Accelerate from Post 5, and Bravazo from Post 1.

Patience Becomes McGaughey’s Virtue After Outer Draw

No wonder Knicks Go trainer Brad Cox said he’s “very pleasedâ€�?with his draw. Code of Honor’s Shug McGaughey was philosophical. He preferred to focus on new rider Tyler Gaffalione and his local knowledge of Gulfstream.

“Obviously, he rides this racetrack very well and he’s very familiar with it,�?McGaughey said. “He’s a very patient rider and that’s what Code of Honor wants, so I’m pleased to have him.�?/p>

Elsewhere, Cigar Mile winner True Timber scratched out of the Pegasus after trainer Jack Sisterson tweeted True Timber came up slightly lame during his cooldown session on Wednesday. That opened up a spot for Last Judgment, who comes in at 20/1 with a ninth and an eighth in his two previous graded stakes outings �?both Grade 3s.

True Timber came up slightly off cooling out this morning. While it appears he might be able to run in the Pegasus, we always prioritize the best interest of the horse and have elected to defer to caution and not compete in the Pegasus

— Jack Sisterson (@JackSisterson) January 20, 2021

Pletcher is Primed With Top Two Favorites

As for the Pegasus Turf draw and odds, Pletcher’s threesome of favorite Colonel Liam, Largent, and Social Paranoia (8/1) are three-fifths of the five horses listed at single-digit odds. The others are Anothertwistoffate (5/1) and Say the Word (6/1).

Colonel Liam drew Post 5. Largent is next door in Post 6. Social Paranoia drew the far outside in Post 12. Say the Word is next door in Post 11. Anothertwistoffate drew Post 8.

Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational/Gulfstream Park

Morning Line (Jockey/Trainer)

1. Next Shares, 20/1 (Drayden Van Dyke/Richard Baltas)
2. Breaking the Rules, 10/1 (John Velazquez/Shug McGaughey)
3. Storm the Court, 12/1 (Julien Leparoux/Peter Eurton)
4. North Dakota, 10/1 (Jose Ortiz/Shug McGaughey)
5. Colonel Liam, 7/2 (Irad Ortiz Jr./Todd Pletcher)
6. Largent, 9/2 (Paco Lopez/Todd Pletcher)
7. Aquaphobia, 20/1 (Joe Bravo/Mike Maker)
8. Anothertwistoffate, 5/1 (Joel Rosario/Peter Miller)
9. Cross Border, 15/1 (Tyler Gaffalione/Mike Maker)
10. Pixelate, 9/2 (Edgard Zayas/Mike Stidham)
11. Say the Word, 6/1 (Flavien Prat/Phil D’Amato)
12. Social Paranoia, 8/1 (Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher)

“The mile and three-sixteenths is a little different distance for Largent. He’s never been quite that far, but the way he ran in the Fort Lauderdale going a mile and an eighth, certainly gives you confidence he’ll handle it,â€�?Pletcher told Gulfstream Park. “Social Paranoia has won as far as a mile and five-sixteenths, and Colonel Liam was a little bit unlucky in the Saratoga Derby at a mile and a quarter. I think [the distance] should work for all three of them.â€�?/p>

They’ll have plenty of company. The 12-horse Pegasus Turf field features 12 stakes winners �?10 graded. Aquaphobia (20/1), Next Shares (20/1), Say the Word, and Storm the Court (12/1) all own Grade 1 wins.

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