Knicks Go Unanimous Number One in Final NTRA Poll

Two days after an emphatic front-running victory in the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar, Korea Racing Authority’s Knicks Go   cemented his status as the top older male dirt horse in the country and a favorite for Horse of Year honors by sweeping all 36 first-place votes in the final 2021 NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Knicks Go, who has held the top spot in the poll for 14 consecutive weeks, received 360 points.

Knicks Go is conditioned by 2020 Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox, who also trains Godolphin’s Essential Quality  , who was the top vote-getter in the 2021 NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll that concluded in June and finished second in this year’s Top Thoroughbred Poll with 270 points. Essential Quality earlier this year captured the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1) and Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1).

WinStar Farm and China Horse Club’s speedster Life is Good , winner of Saturday’s Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), jumped from 12th to third in the final Top Thoroughbred Poll with 265 points. Zedan Racing Stables’ Medina Spirit , who finished second in the Classic behind Knicks Go, finished fourth in the poll with 242 points.

St. George Stable’s 5-year-old mare Letruska , beaten favorite in Saturday’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), finished fifth in the poll with 205 points.

NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

Rank, Horse, Points

1. Knicks Go    360

2. Essential Quality    270

3. Life Is Good   265

4. Medina Spirit    242

5. Letruska   205

6. Hot Rod Charlie    126

7. Golden Pal    67

8. Yibir    64

9. Jackie's Warrior    59

10. Gamine    55