Knicks Go (Paynter) wins the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland on 10.06.2018. Albin Jimenez up, Ben Colebrook trainer, KRA Stud Far owner.

The Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go provided a shocking 70-1 upset in Saturday's G1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, striking the wire a five-length winner. The juvenile son of Paynter led throughout the 1 1/16-mile contest, stopping the clock in 1:44.23 over the fast main track. Ridden by Albin Jimenez for trainer Ben Colebrook (both recording their first G1 wins), Knicks Go earned an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with his victory.

“(Rider) Albin (Jimenez) just stole it really,” said Colebrook. “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.”

The 5-2 favorite Dream Maker finished off the board.

Knicks Go jumped out very quickly at the start, and stole away to a one-length lead heading into the clubhouse turn. He set mild fractions of :23.67 and :47.59, tracked by Sombeyay and Mr. Ankeny, but was never seriously threatened down the backstretch.

In the far turn, Jimenez got the jump on his rivals by sending Knicks Go at the three-eighths pole. The colt snuck out to a four-length lead at the top of the stretch, and none of his rivals was able to close the distance as Knicks Go kicked under the wire a five-length winner. Signalman got up for second, while Standard Deviation came from well back to finish third. Sombeyay was fourth and Derby Date was fifth.

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

Bred in Maryland by Angie Moore, Knicks Go was an $87,000 yearling at the Keeneland September sale. He won at first asking in a five-furlong maiden event at Ellis, then ran fifth in the G3 Sanford at Saratoga. Knicks Go was then third in the Arlington-Washington Lassie, but stole away on the lead to win his first G1 in the Breeders' Futurity. The colt has now won two of his four starts for earnings of $330,000.

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