To Be Recognized Thursday, May 19 During Alibi Breakfast
BALTIMORE, Md. – Maryland-bred Knicks Go, the Eclipse Award winner as champion older horse and Horse of the Year for 2021, has been named the Honorary Postmaster for Preakness 147.
Bred by the mother and daughter team of Angie and Sabrina Moore and foaled at their GreenMount Farm in Glyndon, Md., Knicks Go will be recognized Thursday, May 19 during the Alibi Breakfast at historic Pimlico Race Course.
In 1995, the United States Postal Service opened a temporary Preakness station at Pimlico the week of the Preakness. Hall of Fame trainer Charlie Whittingham was the first Honorary Postmaster.
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.
The Honorary Postmaster returns this year after being canceled in 2020 and 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“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 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 champion older horse and Horse of the Year 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 eight starts including three Grade 1 races – the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park, Whitney 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, Knicks Go finished 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 is standing stud at Taylor Made Stallions, Inc. in Nicholasville, Ky. for a $30,000 fee.
“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.
If you want to send your favorite trainer, jockey or horse a letter, here is the address: Preakness Station, Pimlico Race Course, 5201 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215.
Past Postmasters
1995 Charlie Whittingham, Trainer
1996 Cigar, 1995 Horse of the Year
1997 Nick Zito, Trainer
1998 Bob Baffert, Trainer
1999 Marty Bass, WJZ-TV
2000 D. Wayne Lukas, Trainer
2001 J. William Boniface, Trainer
2002 John Buren, Broadcast Journalist
2003 Nancy Alberts, Trainer
2004 Bud Delp, Trainer
2005 Rick Wilson, Jockey
2006 Brenda Handleman, Maryland Turf Caterers
2007 Charlsie Cantey, Broadcast Journalist
2008 Mario Pino, Jockey
2009 Harold Snyder, International Sound Corp.
2010 Bobby Lillis, Maryland Horsemen’s Assistance Fund
2011 Lady Legends, Jockeys
2012 award not presented
2013 award not presented
2014 Tim Keefe, Trainer
2015 Ben’s Cat
2016 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance
2017 Scott Wykoff, WBALRadio
2018 Edgar Prado, Champion Jockey
2019 (info not available)
2020 canceled because of Covid
2021 canceled because of Covid
Maryland Jockey Club Press Release/Edited
Photo of Knicks Go winning the 2021 Pegasus World Cup courtesy of Coglianese
