Knicks Go probable for Saudi Cup, Cox says

Knicks Go is going to Saudi Arabia.

Provided he works to his connections’ satisfaction this Saturday at Fair Grounds, Knicks Go, winner of the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 23, will depart the U.S. on Feb. 8 for a go at the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20 outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“He came out of the Pegasus in great shape,” said Brad Cox, who trains Knicks Go for the Korea Racing Authority. “We just want to see how he works and how he comes out of it. Hopefully we see what we want to see.”

Knicks Go will be favored, or, at worst, second choice behind Charlatan in the Saudi Cup, a one-turn dirt race over 1,800 meters, about 1 1/8 miles.

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Knicks Go was transferred to Cox late in 2019, won an allowance race at Oaklawn last winter before suffering an injury that required ample healing time, and returned with a vengeance last fall. He blitzed a Keeneland allowance race in October, winning by more than 10 lengths and earning a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure, which he proceeded to top with 108s in winning the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and the Pegasus, which was Knicks Go’s first try over 1 1/8 miles.

Joel Rosario began riding Knicks Go in the Keeneland allowance win and has a call for the Saudi Cup, Cox said.

While Knicks Go merely has been galloping at Fair Grounds, Cox put a number of prominent stakes runners through timed workouts this weekend, including a team work Sunday of champion 2-year-old Essential Quality and high-level 3-year-old filly Travel Column. Both horses were timed in 1:13 for six furlongs, with Essential Quality prepping for the Southwest Stakes on Feb. 15 at Oaklawn, and Travel Column working for the Rachel Alexandra Stakes on Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds.

On Saturday, working in the blinkers he’ll wear to race for the first time in the Risen Star Stakes, Lecomte third-place finisher Mandaloun worked a half-mile in 48.20, second-fastest of 99 works at the distance.

“I think we’re going to see a difference,” Cox said, regarding the addition of blinkers. “Maybe a more focused horse.”

On Sunday, Monomoy Girl, bound for the Feb. 15 Bayakoa at Oaklawn, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60.