2021 Breeders' Cup: Knicks Go vs. Life Is Good in Pegasus could happen, trainers say
DEL MAR, Calif. – The tantalizing possibility that Knicks Go and Life Is Good could meet in the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park was raised Sunday morning at Del Mar, when the trainers of both Breeders’ Cup winners said that was a likely next start.
Knicks Go won the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday to nail down both Horse of the Year and champion older male. He is scheduled to begin stud duty next spring at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky, but is expected to race one more time, in the Pegasus – which he won earlier this year – before retiring.
“He’ll go to Taylor Made this week to be shown to breeders, then come to me at Churchill after that,” his trainer, Brad Cox, said Sunday morning, describing the Pegasus as “a real possibility.”
Taylor Made did the same thing with California Chrome before he went to stud.
Life Is Good won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile for his fifth win in six starts. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, said he had yet to discuss future plans with the colt’s owners – WinStar Farm and China Horse Club – but said the plan prior to the Dirt Mile was to subsequently point to the Pegasus.
“Something will have to give,” Pletcher said of a matchup between two horses who like to roll right from the bell. “They won’t go 23 and 1.”
The Pegasus is at 1 1/8 miles, a distance at which Knicks Go repeatedly has proved himself. Life Is Good has yet to run that far, but has finished off the Dirt Mile as though that won’t be an issue.
“He galloped out still full of run,” Pletcher said of his Dirt Mile win.
“Irad,” he said, referring to jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., “had to reach up the middle of the turn and grab him. ‘That’s enough.’ ”
Knicks Go received a Beyer Speed Figure of 112, one point shy of his career best and the third time in his last four starts he has reached 111 or higher. Life Is Good got a 109, his career best.