Godolphin's leading 3-year-old colt Essential Quality returned to the work tab Sept. 18 for the first time since his Aug. 28 victory in the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course with an easy half-mile breeze in :49 2/5 under Edvin Vargas at Churchill Downs.
Also working under Vargas for trainer Brad Cox was Korea Racing Authority's four-time grade 1-winner Knicks Go —the top-ranked horse in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll after convincing wins in this year's Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park and Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. The son of Paynter cruised six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 in preparation for the $400,000 Lukas Classic (G3) coming up at Churchill Oct. 2.
Cox hopes to use the Lukas Classic as a springboard to the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar for Knicks Go.
"This race is a good spot for him leading into the Breeders' Cup," Cox said. "He came out of the Whitney really well and we got him back home to Churchill where he's settled in nicely. He's a horse that does his best running around two turns.
"In the Whitney, it was an incredible performance for him to go :46 and change and get distance on those other horses. Then he kicked home very well in deep stretch. I'm really proud of that effort."
