Knicks Go

Knicks Go, a Maryland-bred Paynter colt owned by the Korean syndicate KRA Stud Farm, won his career debut in a five-furlong race at Ellis Park during summer 2018 by an eye-catching 3 ½ lengths despite racing greenly. He was then ambitiously placed in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga, when he ran a distant fifth, but rebounded somewhat in his next start when he finished third in the Arlington Washington Futurity on that track’s artificial surface.

That set up a start in the Oct. 6 Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, a “Win and You’re In” qualifying race for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Under jockey Albin Jiminez, Knicks Go led from start to finish, winning by 5 ½ lengths at huge 70-1 odds. His win gave trainer Ben Colebrook his first Grade 1 victory.

Knicks Go turned in a heroic effort in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile, surging past pacesetter Complexity to seize command and battling gamely with heavily favored Game Winner before yielding grudgingly late in a runner-up finish. Knicks Go faded badly in his final start as a 2-year-old when finishing 11^th of 14 in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.

In his 3-year-old debut, Knicks Go ran fifth, beaten by 13 lengths, in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 9 at Tampa Bay Downs.