Knicks Go is fast, he loves Keeneland, and he’s effective around two turns. Not that he needed any help, but conditions were to order Saturday, and he led from start to finish in the $1 million Dirt Mile after setting blistering fractions, continuing a banner Breeders’ Cup for trainer Brad Cox. Knicks Go ($5.60), the favorite, shook off the speedy Complexity in upper stretch and drew away in the short stretch to win the Dirt Mile by 3 1/2 lengths over the 62-1 Jesus’ Team, the longshot shot in the field, who edged Sharp Samurai by a nose for second. Complexity faded to fourth, finding two turns a different kind of mile than the one-turn mile at Belmont, where he won the Kelso. Owendale, also trained by Cox, was fifth and was followed, in order, by Mr Freeze, Rushie, Art Collector, War of Will, Silver Dust, Mr. Money, and Pirate’s Punch. Pingxiang, the lone also-eligible, did not get in and was scratched. :: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more. On a track where everyone has become cognizant of the need to be forwardly placed, jockey Joel Rosario sent Knicks Go away from the gate and he stormed through the opening quarter in 21.98 seconds and half in 44.40 seconds, with Complexity just to his outside. Knicks Go began to edge away following six furlongs in 1:08.25, and increased his margin heading to the wire as his rivals gave futile chase. He was timed in 1:33.85 for the mile on the fast track, which marked another track record on a weekend when they are falling like autumn leaves. The Dirt Mile earned a solid 108 Beyer Speed Figure. Knicks Go had set a track record in a third-level allowance at Keeneland five weeks earlier when going 1 1/16 miles, a brilliant effort that subsequently had his connections look at the Dirt Mile, run over a Keeneland track he adores. Knicks Go came into the race with a record of two wins and a second in four starts at Keeneland, where he won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at 2. “This was never something we targeted when he raced five weeks ago,” said Cox, who said he envisioned the allowance race as a prep for the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs later this month, or the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in December. But Knicks Go got a 107 Beyer Speed Figure for that race, which alone made him a top contender in the Dirt Mile. Combined with his speed and love for Keeneland, the Dirt Mile was an obvious audible to make. Cox and Rosario didn’t need to audible regarding tactics, because Knicks Go has natural speed. But that certainly hasn’t hurt this weekend. “Obviously he’s very fast, and speed’s been very, very good,” Cox said at a post-race news conference. “I told Joel to try to run out of there and establish position. He didn’t get any breathers.” Cox said he thought Knicks Go had “a better chance of winning the way the track’s playing.” Cox said Keeneland’s mile race, which ends at what is normally the sixteenth pole owing to the track being 1 1/16 miles in circumference, was another advantage. “Short stretch, set up extremely well,” he said. :: Start earning weekly cashback on your wagering today. Click to learn more. Knicks Go was the third Breeders’ Cup winner of the weekend for Cox, who won twice Friday, with Aunt Pearl in the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Essential Quality in the Juvenile. Knicks Go, 4, was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile two years ago at Churchill Downs when trained by Ben Colebrook. He was moved to Cox’s barn earlier this year by the Korea Racing Authority, which is run by Jun Park. Knicks Go won an allowance race at Oaklawn in February, subsequently suffered an injury, and was off until his comeback race at Keeneland Oct. 4. “Long layoff, but he recovered very well,” Park said. “We know he has a lot of talent, and obviously he loves Keeneland.” Knicks Go, a colt by Paynter, has now won five times in 17 starts. He earned $520,000 and now has career earnings of $1,348,995. Park was non-committal as to what future plans would be for Knicks Go, though he was bought by the Korea Racing Association as a yearling with the hope of becoming a stallion. Now he’s a two-time Grade 1 winner, once at 2 and again at 4, including a Breeders’ Cup victory.