343:
Essential
Quality went off as the post-time favorite, in part because bettors expected a speed duel to develop between Medina Spirit and Knicks Go, who both favored a front-running style. Instead Medina Spirit broke slowly and Knicks Go got off to an early lead. After running a fast opening half-mile
344:
in 45.77 seconds, Knicks Go was able to relax down the backstretch. Moving around the final turn, Hot Rod
Charlie mounted a drive and closed to within a length at the top of the stretch. Knicks Go then responded by drawing away down the stretch to win by
1839:
1604:
1580:
1911:
1556:
1496:
373:. "Obviously, the race went really well", said Cox. "He broke and was able to establish position early. Once he was able to do that, he's a hard horse to catch."
331:, who had won five straight races including four at the Grade I level, was the only Horse of the Year candidate not entered in the race, instead running in the
1568:
245:
The
Breeders' Cup Classic is open to up to 14 starters, with automatic berths for horses that win one of the designated "Win and You're In" races in the
1544:
1224:
1616:
1520:
1198:
687:
1631:
1532:
206:
at one mile and one-quarter (approximately 2000 m). The purse of $ 6,000,000 was the highest in North
America in 2021. The race is run under
1472:
1369:
1592:
1300:
1091:
1508:
1484:
1599:
1834:
1829:
1824:
1819:
1814:
1809:
1804:
1799:
1794:
1789:
1784:
1624:
1575:
246:
240:
1906:
1860:
1855:
1551:
1491:
1342:
1275:
264:
1249:
1122:
1173:
1870:
1563:
370:
172:
1639:
1539:
358:
lengths over Medina Spirit, with
Essential Quality closing for third. The final time was an excellent 1:59.57.
1901:
1460:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1380:
1375:
148:
143:
256:
Entries were taken on
November 1, after which the post position draw was held. The leading contenders were:
1647:
1611:
271:. Known for his front-running style, his stamina was the major concern as he had never won at 10 furlongs
1773:
1515:
377:
362:
180:
1896:
1865:
1527:
1335:
1467:
1365:
332:
164:
28:
1587:
107:
1763:
1758:
1753:
1748:
1743:
1738:
1733:
1728:
1723:
1718:
1713:
1708:
1703:
1698:
1693:
1688:
1683:
1678:
1673:
1503:
1479:
728:
317:
168:
1328:
312:
295:
114:
361:
Knicks Go became the sixth horse to win two different
Breeders' Cup races, having won the
8:
1875:
839:
291:
278:
1049:
305:
250:
550:
274:
188:
176:
38:
1351:
1147:
897:
676:
629:
610:
321:
301:
908:
850:
805:
794:
498:
282:
268:
207:
171:
World
Thoroughbred Championships program, and the fourth race in the so-called
1174:"2021 Breeders' Cup: Cox pair favored in BC Classic; total of 196 pre-entered"
1890:
736:
490:
287:
203:
192:
92:
618:
438:
85:
1320:
569:
509:
449:
366:
97:
1063:
965:
Splits for each quarter-mile: (23.16) (22.61) (24.27) (25.24) (24.29)
747:
558:
430:
260:
196:
184:
65:
1056:
328:
1199:"Meet the Contenders for the 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic"
365:
in 2020. It was the first
Breeders' Cup Classic win for trainer
1225:"Breeders' Cup Classic Is Loaded Ahead Of 2021 Race At Del Mar"
80:
263:— Top ranked American racehorse after four wins including the
1656:†Race no longer part of Breeders' Cup · §Race no longer run.
210:
conditions, with entrants carrying the following weights:
228:
1123:"Going, Going, Gone: Knicks Go All the Way in Classic"
836:
294:
but disqualified due to a drug positive. Also won the
1250:"The Week in Review: Letruska Belongs in the Classic"
175:
in North
America. It was run on November 6, 2021 at
626:
253:and by the judgement of a panel of racing experts.
249:. Other horses are ranked by their performances in
16:
The 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic: Knicks Go's Victory
894:
673:
905:
847:
802:
791:
495:
183:voting as it featured the top-ranked older horse
1912:November 2021 sports events in the United States
1888:
733:
217:Southern Hemisphere three-year-olds: 117 lb
214:Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds: 122 lb
684:
615:
435:
1301:"The field for the 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic"
506:
277:— top-ranked three-year-old after wins in the
179:in Del Mar, California. It proved decisive in
1336:
223:Any fillies or mares receive a 3 lb allowance
744:
555:
566:
446:
1350:
1343:
1329:
1092:"Chart for the 2021 Breeder's Cup Classic"
963:– 1:10.04; mile – 1:35.28; final – 1:59.57
376:Knicks Go was subsequently named the 2021
369:, and gave him wins in three of the four
1116:
1114:
1112:
1086:
1084:
1082:
1889:
1120:
1324:
1276:"Knicks Go a true Horse of the Year"
1222:
1109:
1079:
1171:
338:
247:2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge series
241:2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge series
13:
1861:2002 Breeders' Cup betting scandal
220:Four-year-olds and up: 126 lb
14:
1923:
1871:Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing
1121:Sherak, Steve (7 November 2021).
187:and the leading three-year-olds,
173:Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing
308:and second in the Belmont Stakes
1293:
1268:
1242:
1216:
1191:
1165:
1148:"How It Works | Breeders' Cup"
1140:
380:, receiving 228 of 235 votes.
1:
1254:TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News
1127:TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News
1073:
234:
1907:2021 in sports in California
1648:Grand National Hurdle Stakes
163:was the 38th running of the
7:
311:Max Player — winner of the
10:
1928:
1203:www.americasbestracing.net
383:
378:American Horse of the Year
238:
227:The race was broadcast on
181:American Horse of the Year
161:2021 Breeders' Cup Classic
48:November 6, 2021
23:38th Breeders' Cup Classic
1848:
1772:
1663:
1358:
968:
139:
131:
123:
113:
103:
91:
79:
71:
59:
44:
34:
27:
298:in front-running fashion
1600:Filly & Mare Sprint
1066:(5-8-4-3) Paid $ 17.01
195:. The race was won by
108:Korea Racing Authority
1576:Juvenile Fillies Turf
1492:Filly & Mare Turf
333:Breeders' Cup Distaff
165:Breeders' Cup Classic
29:Breeders' Cup Classic
1902:2021 in horse racing
1552:Juvenile Turf Sprint
1059:(5-8-4) Paid $ 41.95
313:Jockey Club Gold Cup
296:Awesome Again Stakes
290:— finished first in
1876:Grand Slam of Grass
1152:www.breederscup.com
840:Ricardo Santana Jr.
251:graded stakes races
24:
1305:www.bloodhorse.com
1052:(5-8) Paid $ 32.60
1034:Essential Quality
306:Pennsylvania Derby
169:2021 Breeders' Cup
22:
1884:
1883:
1657:
1256:. 11 October 2021
1045:
1044:
973:Payout Schedule:
929:
928:
551:Essential Quality
275:Essential Quality
265:Pegasus World Cup
189:Essential Quality
177:Del Mar Racetrack
157:
156:
39:Del Mar Racetrack
1919:
1774:Challenge Series
1655:
1564:Juvenile Fillies
1345:
1338:
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1118:
1107:
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621:
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388:
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357:
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339:Race description
320:— winner of the
304:— winner of the
62:
55:
53:
25:
21:
1927:
1926:
1922:
1921:
1920:
1918:
1917:
1916:
1887:
1886:
1885:
1880:
1844:
1768:
1659:
1640:Juvenile Sprint
1370:top 3 finishers
1354:
1349:
1319:
1309:
1307:
1299:
1298:
1294:
1284:
1282:
1274:
1273:
1269:
1259:
1257:
1248:
1247:
1243:
1233:
1231:
1223:Ginsbach, Jay.
1221:
1217:
1207:
1205:
1197:
1196:
1192:
1182:
1180:
1170:
1166:
1156:
1154:
1146:
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1119:
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1076:
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971:
964:
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944:
939:
935:
934:
907:
906:
898:Victor Espinoza
896:
895:
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872:
869:
867:
849:
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838:
837:
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803:
793:
792:
773:
769:
766:
764:
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735:
734:
713:
709:
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704:
686:
685:
677:Kent Desormeaux
675:
674:
655:
651:
648:
646:
628:
627:
617:
616:
611:Hot Rod Charlie
595:
591:
588:
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568:
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535:
531:
528:
526:
508:
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475:
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468:
466:
448:
447:
437:
436:
409:
395:
386:
354:
350:
347:
345:
341:
322:Woodward Stakes
302:Hot Rod Charlie
243:
237:
202:The Classic is
153:
152:
146:
60:
51:
49:
20:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1925:
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1378:
1362:
1360:
1356:
1355:
1348:
1347:
1340:
1333:
1325:
1318:
1317:
1292:
1280:BloodHorse.com
1267:
1241:
1215:
1190:
1172:Privman, Jay.
1164:
1139:
1108:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1068:
1067:
1060:
1053:
1043:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1028:
1027:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1018:Medina Spirit
1016:
1012:
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1008:
1005:
1002:
999:
995:
994:
991:
988:
985:
982:
970:
967:
927:
926:
923:
920:
917:
914:
909:John Shirreffs
903:
892:
889:
886:
882:
881:
865:
862:
859:
856:
851:Steve Asmussen
845:
834:
831:
828:
824:
823:
820:
817:
814:
811:
806:John W. Sadler
800:
795:Irad Ortiz Jr.
789:
786:
783:
779:
778:
762:
759:
756:
753:
742:
731:
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682:
671:
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600:
584:
581:
578:
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564:
553:
548:
545:
541:
540:
524:
521:
518:
515:
504:
499:John Velazquez
493:
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480:
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455:
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428:
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406:
403:
400:
397:
392:
385:
382:
340:
337:
325:
324:
315:
309:
299:
292:Kentucky Derby
285:
283:Travers Stakes
272:
269:Whitney Stakes
236:
233:
225:
224:
221:
218:
215:
208:weight-for-age
167:, part of the
155:
154:
147:
141:
140:
137:
136:
133:
129:
128:
125:
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117:
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63:
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18:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1924:
1913:
1910:
1908:
1905:
1903:
1900:
1898:
1897:Breeders' Cup
1895:
1894:
1892:
1877:
1874:
1872:
1869:
1867:
1864:
1862:
1859:
1857:
1854:
1853:
1851:
1849:Miscellaneous
1847:
1841:
1838:
1836:
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1828:
1826:
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1821:
1818:
1816:
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1566:
1565:
1562:
1558:
1555:
1554:
1553:
1550:
1546:
1543:
1542:
1541:
1540:Juvenile Turf
1538:
1534:
1531:
1530:
1529:
1526:
1522:
1519:
1518:
1517:
1514:
1510:
1507:
1506:
1505:
1502:
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1471:
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1382:
1379:
1377:
1374:
1373:
1371:
1367:
1364:
1363:
1361:
1357:
1353:
1352:Breeders' Cup
1346:
1341:
1339:
1334:
1332:
1327:
1326:
1323:
1306:
1302:
1296:
1281:
1277:
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1230:
1226:
1219:
1204:
1200:
1194:
1179:
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1168:
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1128:
1124:
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1113:
1097:
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1038:
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1017:
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1003:
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989:
986:
983:
978:
977:
974:
966:
933:
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921:
918:
915:
910:
904:
899:
893:
891:Express Train
890:
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866:
863:
860:
857:
852:
846:
841:
835:
832:
829:
826:
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815:
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796:
790:
787:
784:
781:
780:
763:
760:
757:
754:
749:
743:
738:
737:Mike E. Smith
732:
730:
729:Art Collector
727:
724:
721:
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689:
683:
678:
672:
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543:
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519:
516:
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494:
492:
491:Medina Spirit
489:
486:
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482:
465:
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459:
456:
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389:
381:
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372:
368:
364:
359:
336:
334:
330:
323:
319:
318:Art Collector
316:
314:
310:
307:
303:
300:
297:
293:
289:
288:Medina Spirit
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194:
193:Medina Spirit
190:
186:
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151: →
150:
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142:←
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99:
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74:
70:
67:
64:
61:Winning horse
58:
47:
43:
40:
37:
33:
30:
26:
1856:Broadcasters
1654:
1646:
1638:
1623:
1455:
1308:. Retrieved
1304:
1295:
1283:. Retrieved
1279:
1270:
1258:. Retrieved
1253:
1244:
1232:. Retrieved
1228:
1218:
1206:. Retrieved
1202:
1193:
1181:. Retrieved
1177:
1167:
1157:28 September
1155:. Retrieved
1151:
1142:
1130:. Retrieved
1126:
1099:. Retrieved
1095:
1069:
972:
931:
930:
688:Ed Moger Jr.
670:Stilleto Boy
630:Doug O'Neill
619:Flavien Prat
439:Joel Rosario
408:Morning Line
375:
360:
342:
326:
255:
244:
226:
201:
160:
158:
86:Joel Rosario
72:Winning time
1612:Turf Sprint
1178:www.drf.com
822:17 lengths
523:$ 1,020,000
510:Bob Baffert
463:$ 3,120,000
413:Final Odds
204:run on dirt
1891:Categories
1310:4 November
1260:31 October
1234:31 October
1208:31 October
1183:31 October
1132:19 January
1101:7 November
1074:References
1064:Superfecta
1001:Knicks Go
943:– 23.16;
833:Max Player
239:See also:
235:Contenders
132:Attendance
115:Conditions
52:2021-11-06
19:Horse race
1781:2007–2011
1670:1984–2004
1516:Dirt Mile
1285:6 October
953:– 45.77;
761:$ 120,000
748:Bill Mott
701:$ 180,000
643:$ 300,000
583:$ 540,000
559:Luis Saez
431:Knicks Go
416:Winnings
363:Dirt Mile
327:The mare
261:Knicks Go
197:Knicks Go
185:Knicks Go
66:Knicks Go
1866:Trophies
1625:Marathon
1528:Juvenile
1096:Equibase
1057:Trifecta
880:lengths
864:$ 60,000
819:$ 60,000
777:lengths
717:lengths
659:lengths
599:lengths
570:Brad Cox
539:lengths
479:lengths
450:Brad Cox
405:Trainer
367:Brad Cox
329:Letruska
98:Brad Cox
35:Location
1468:Distaff
1366:Classic
1062:$ 0.10
1055:$ 0.50
1041:$ 2.80
1026:$ 4.00
1023:$ 6.60
1010:$ 4.00
1007:$ 6.20
1004:$ 8.40
981:Number
979:Program
958:⁄
948:⁄
938:⁄
875:⁄
788:Tripoli
772:⁄
712:⁄
654:⁄
594:⁄
534:⁄
474:⁄
419:Margin
402:Jockey
396:Number
394:Program
391:Finish
384:Results
353:⁄
279:Belmont
124:Surface
93:Trainer
75:1:59.57
50: (
1588:Sprint
1229:Forbes
1050:Exacta
990:Place
984:Horse
969:Payout
932:Times:
399:Horse
371:majors
135:26,553
81:Jockey
1664:Years
1632:top 3
1617:top 3
1605:top 3
1593:top 3
1581:top 3
1569:top 3
1557:top 3
1545:top 3
1533:top 3
1521:top 3
1509:top 3
1497:top 3
1485:top 3
1473:top 3
1359:Races
993:Show
410:Odds
104:Owner
1840:2023
1835:2022
1830:2021
1825:2020
1820:2019
1815:2018
1810:2017
1805:2016
1800:2015
1795:2014
1790:2013
1785:2012
1764:2023
1759:2022
1754:2021
1749:2020
1744:2019
1739:2018
1734:2017
1729:2016
1724:2015
1719:2014
1714:2013
1709:2012
1704:2011
1699:2010
1694:2009
1689:2008
1684:2007
1679:2006
1674:2005
1504:Mile
1480:Turf
1376:2005
1312:2021
1287:2022
1262:2021
1236:2021
1210:2021
1185:2021
1159:2020
1134:2022
1103:2021
1048:$ 1
987:Win
925:SCR
916:20-1
816:15.8
813:15-1
758:10.2
698:51.5
695:30-1
580:1.9*
281:and
267:and
191:and
159:The
149:2022
144:2020
127:Dirt
119:fast
45:Date
1461:'22
1456:'21
1451:'20
1446:'19
1441:'18
1436:'17
1431:'16
1426:'15
1421:'14
1416:'13
1411:'12
1406:'11
1401:'10
1396:'09
1391:'08
1386:'07
1381:'06
922:SCR
919:SCR
885:SCR
858:8-1
755:8-1
640:3.2
637:4-1
577:3-1
520:6.8
517:4-1
460:3.2
457:5-2
229:NBC
1893::
1628:†
1372:)
1303:.
1278:.
1252:.
1227:.
1201:.
1176:.
1150:.
1125:.
1111:^
1094:.
1081:^
1031:4
1015:8
998:5
868:20
861:13
765:14
705:10
335:.
231:.
199:.
1651:†
1643:§
1368:(
1344:e
1337:t
1330:v
1314:.
1289:.
1264:.
1238:.
1212:.
1187:.
1161:.
1136:.
1105:.
960:4
956:3
950:2
946:1
940:4
936:1
888:2
877:4
873:1
870:+
830:9
827:8
785:1
782:7
774:2
770:1
767:+
725:6
722:6
714:4
710:1
707:+
667:7
664:5
656:2
652:1
649:+
647:4
607:3
604:4
596:2
592:1
589:+
587:3
547:4
544:3
536:4
532:3
529:+
527:2
487:8
484:2
476:4
472:3
469:+
467:2
427:5
424:1
355:4
351:3
348:+
346:2
54:)
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