Knicks Go Named Honorary Postmaster for Preakness 147

Maryland-bred Knicks Go, the Eclipse Award winner as Horse of the Year and champion older horse for 2021, has been named the Honorary Postmaster for Preakness 147.

Bred by Angie Moore and foaled at their GreenMount Farm in Gylndon, Md., Knicks Go will be recognized Thursday, May 19 during the Alibi breakfast at historic Pimlico Race Course.

In 1996, the United States Postal Service opened a temporary Preakness station at Pimlico the week of the Preakness. It returns this year after being canceled in 2020 and 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Past honorary postmasters have included Hall of Fame trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Nick Zito, champions Cigar and Ben's Cat, and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

"It's really exciting. I love Preakness and it's something I've looked forward to every single year since I was a little kid," Sabrina Moore, daughter of Angie Moore, said. "To be honored during Maryland's biggest week is great. I'm super flattered. It's unbelievable."

Knicks Go is the third Maryland-bred to earn Thoroughbred racing's top annual honor. Hall of Famer Cigar was Horse of the Year and champion older horse in 1995 and 1996. Before the Eclipse Awards were established in 1971, Challedon was named Horse of the Year in 1939 and 1940.

The fourth foal out of the Maryland-bred Outflanker mare Kosmo's Buddy, Knicks Go fetched $40,000 as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. He was later purchased for $87,000 during Keeneland's 2017 September yearling sale by the Korea Racing Authority.

During his championship season, Knicks Go won five of seven starts including three Grade 1 races—the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park, Whitney Stakes at Saratoga and Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar—and earned more than $7.3 million in purses.

Retired after running second in defense of his Pegasus title Jan. 29, 2022 Knicks Go retired with 10 wins, four seconds and a third with $9,258,135 in purse earnings, second only to Cigar's $9,999,815 among Maryland-breds.

Knicks Go stands at stud at Taylor Made Stallions in Nicholasville, Ky. for a $30,000 fee. His first foals will arrive in 2023.

"Looking back at it, it's like those days are now just starting to get further and further away. I realize how special it's been," Moore said. "Now it's just memories, and I get to look back on all of the things that he's done. It helps you get through every other day just pushing on and, hopefully, working on the next big horse one of these days."

The Alibi breakfast began in the 1930s on the porch of the old Pimlico Clubhouse and features a gathering of media, owners, trainers, jockeys, horsemen, and fans to celebrate the Preakness and gain interesting and humorous race predictions.