SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Approaching the top of the stretch in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, Knicks Go’s five-length advantage was diminishing. Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, had moved within 1 1/4 lengths of him. Silver State, the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap winner, appeared to be revving up along the rail. Maxfield, a winner of 7 of 8 starts, also seemed poised for a rally. Brad Cox, the trainer of Knicks Go, admitted to being “a touch concerned,” he said. “They were coming to him fairly easy - they’re good horses, they’re going to come to him,” Cox said. “At the top of the lane, I thought, he’s still there. We’ll see.” What Cox - and an announced crowd of 38,525 - saw was more of the same from Knicks Go. Straightening away down the lane, jockey Joel Rosario shook up Knicks Go and the speedy gray rebroke and left a most accomplished field in the dust, streaking to a 4 1/2-length victory in the prestigious Whitney. Maxfield was best of the rest, getting second by 1 3/4 lengths over Silver State. Swiss Skydiver retreated to fourth, 4 3/4 lengths in front of the hard-luck By My Standards, who stumbled at the start and trailed throughout. “I didn’t really think until maybe the last little bit that he’s going to win this thing,” Cox said. “At that point I was like ‘Wow, what a horse! What a performance.' ” It was the sixth consecutive victory around two turns for Knicks Go, a streak that this year includes the Grade 1 Pegasus at Gulfstream in January and the Grade 3 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows last month. Last year, Knicks Go won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He lost two races run around one turn including the Met Mile at Belmont. The Whitney was a “Win and You’re In” race for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 6. Cox mentioned that the Classic, run at 1 1/4 miles, will be under strong consideration. “With it being at a place like Del Mar, it may give you a little more confidence in trying the Classic as opposed to it being at Churchill, where there’s a little bit longer stretch,” said Cox, who trains Knicks Go for the Korea Racing Authority. “He does have speed, that’s his weapon and it was on full display today.” On paper, it looked like Knicks Go was the lone speed in the Whitney. But Irad Ortiz Jr. hustled Swiss Skydiver away from the gate and Rosario had to use Knicks Go some to clear the field around the first turn. Knicks Go ran an opening quarter in 23.42 seconds and a half-mile in 46.76 while opening up a five-length advantage over Swiss Skydiver. :: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more “Joel had to shake the reins at him to get the position,” Cox said. “The first turn here going a mile and an eighth comes up very quick. Once he was able to clear off, I thought, well, that’s what needs to happen.” Entering and around the far turn, the lead began to dwindle. But Rosario said the horse was nice and relaxed. At the eighth pole, it seemed like Knicks Go just rebroke. “He does,” Rosario said. “He just goes forward and he just keeps going.” Knicks Go, a 5-year-old Maryland-bred son of Paynter, covered the 1 1/8-miles in 1:47.70 and returned $4.10 as the even-money favorite. He earned a 111 Beyer Speed Figure. Cox was unsure how Knicks Go would get to the Breeders’ Cup, but it’s certainly going to be in a two-turn race. The Grade 3, $400,000 Lukas Classic, a 1 1/8-mile race at Churchill on Oct. 2, could be one option. Brendan Walsh, trainer of Whitney runner-up Maxfield, said at one point his rider, Jose Ortiz, thought he had a chance to reel in Knicks Go. “He got to a point where he thought he was going to get him and Jose said that horse didn’t stop,” Walsh said. “But he ran good. Second’s no disgrace.” Ken McPeek, trainer of Swiss Skydiver, who is likely headed back to facing her own gender in the Personal Ensign here on Aug. 28, tipped his hat to Knicks Go. “Amazing how much speed he shows and carries it,” McPeek said. “Fantastic horse. Great job by Brad.” *** All-sources handle Saturday was a Whitney Day record $36,820,234, eclipsing the $35,796,435 wagered last year. In 2019, the Whitney Day handle was $31,835,863.