Knicks Go Shocks G1 Breeders’ Futurity

LEXINGTON, KY – KRA Stud Farm’s Knicks Go pulled off a major upset on Saturday, shocking the betting world at 70/1 odds while wiring the Grade 1, $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity Stakes at Keeneland.

The Breeders’ Futurity is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event, with Knicks Go receiving an automatic berth in the Sentient Jet Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Friday, November 2.

Bursting sharply from post 7 under Albin Jimenez, Knicks Go settled along the rail heading into the first turn before posting unpressured fractions of :23.67, :47.59, and 1:12.68. Still carrying a length advantage through the far turn, Knicks Go began drawing off in the stretch while the rest of the field gave chase in vain. Continuing to drive on strongly through to the wire, the Ben Colebrook trainee crossed with a 5 1/2 length advantage in a final time of 1:44.23 for the 1 1/16-mile event over the fast main track.

“It was pretty easy,” Jimenez said. “(Colebrook) told me to be close to the lead. He broke sharp, so I kept him in there.”

Signalman was in tight and bumped around a bit during the course of the race but finished best of the rest to take second by 3/4 of a length over Standard Deviation. After chasing the leader from second for much of the race, Sombeyay weakened in the stretch and crossed fourth. Derby Date made a bold move for the lead in the final turn but couldn’t sustain it and flattened out in the stretch to finish fifth. Mr. Ankeny took sixth over Fluminense, who necked out seventh over Everfast. Completing the order came Tobacco Road, Moonster, Borracho, the 5/2 favorite Dream Maker, and Unionizer. The lone scratch was Mind Control.

Knicks Go’s win was his first since breaking his maiden on debut at Ellis Park on July 4. The juvenile son of Paynter has now earned $330,515 since the Korea Racing Authority purchased him for $87,000 as a yearling last September.

“Albin just stole it, really,” Colebrook said. “They didn’t give him any respect and he got out there and just got to gallop. I could see (Knicks Go) on the backside, his ears were just going. I could tell he was going to run big, but I didn’t think he was going to run that big. It was just amazing.”

Knicks Go returned $142 to win, $50.40 to place, and $18 to show. Signalman brought back $12.60 to place and $7.20 to show, while Standard Deviation paid $4.40 to show.