Everybody loves Knicks Go, who’s the $1.90 Sportsbet equihero for a second Pegasus World Cup, having been crowned the Longines World’s Best Racehorse for 2021.
Also favourite for US Horse of The Year honours, he’s ‘on-cue’ for the $3m Pegasus World Cup of 1m1f at Gulfstream Park, and for owners the Korea Racing Authority and trainer Brad Cox.
Again in the hands of Jose Rosario from Gate 1 on a favourable two-turn dirt surface, Knicks Go has the $2.50 pick Life is Good as his chief rival, in being considered the World’s Best Dirt Miler.
With Taylor Made Farm open to welcome him to their impressive Kentucky stallion roster on Sunday, Knicks Go enters a breeding programme that’s ready to say ‘Knicks Go, World Elite.’
Targeted by the Korea Racing Authority under their K-Nicks genetic programme, Knick Go was to have stood in Korea having been a $87,000 buy at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Now with $8.6m in stakes, and with a repeat Pegasus World Cup to make six Grade 1’s, he’s also won both the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Dirt Mile, plus second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
In being somewhat of a pedigree out-cross, he’s by the Haskell Invitational winner Paynter, a son of Awesome Again, from the stakes winning dam Kosmo’s Buddy, by Dante’s son Outflanker.
With Knicks Go a ‘front-running mile+ two-turn dirt’ exponent, it makes ideal reading of Alan Porter’s Matings, especially with America’s new love with turf racing and liking of all-weather tracks.
Awarded a world high 129 ranking as the Longines World’s Best Racehorse, he’s ahead of Epsom Derby and King George IV and Queen Elizabeth Stakes hero Adayar, equal second on 127.
Also on 127 is Mishriff, who’s returning for a second $40m Saudi Cup, having also won the Juddmonte International Stakes and Dubai Sheema Classic for trainers John and Thady Gosden.
Retiring from racing on 127, St Mark’s Basilica won the Eclipse Stakes, Prix du Jockey Club, Poule d’Essai des Poulain and Irish Champion Stakes and stands the season at Coolmore Ireland.
Again the Aussies have made World Best Sprinter title their own, with Nature Strip top on 124 having won the TJ Smith Stakes, $15m The Everest and VRC Classic as World’s Best Turf Sprinter.
Trained at Rosehill trainer Chris Waller, he’s was equal with the Malibu Stakes dirt winner Flightline, with Masked Crusader second on 121, winning the William Reid Stakes and Premier Stakes.
Also second on 121 is the Joseph Pride trained Eduardo in winning The Galaxy, Doomben 10,000 and Classique Legend Stakes, with all three horses filling the placings of The Everest in 2021.
The Melbourne Cup heroine Verry Elleegant is the World’s Best Turf Long Female on 122, equal to the Turf Male’s Hurricane Lane with the St Leger Stakes and Subjectivist the Ascot Gold Cup.
In also winning the George Main Stakes, Verry Elleegant was placed in the Cox Plate and Winx Stakes for trainer Chris Waller and was crowned Australian Racehorse of The Year for 2020-21.
Champion Irish jockey Ryan Moore has regained his title as Longines World’s Best Jockey on 112 points, ahead of William Buick on 104 and Sydney based James McDonald on 96 points.
Having also won in 2014 and 2016, Ryan won six qualifying races on five different horses in four countries including the Hong Kong Vase on Mogul and the Al Quoz Sprint on Extravagant Kid.
In Europe he won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes on Love, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes on Dream of Dreams, and St Mark’s Basilica in both the Eclipse Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes.
The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was awarded the 2021 Longines World’s Best Horse Race with a 124.75 rating, and Randwick’s Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes the co-top Australian race.
