HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.  - It didn’t take long to fill the gaping void that was left at the top of the handicap division at the end of the 2020 campaign. That spot now belongs, without question, to Knicks Go following his dominant 2 3/4-length victory over Jesus’ Team and 10 other overmatched rivals in Saturday’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. The result mirrored the finish of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile just 11 weeks ago. Knicks Go’s ascent to the top of the division was as rapid as it seems improbable, starting with a record-setting allowance victory in early October and gaining considerable momentum following his decisive 3 1/2-length triumph in the Breeders’ Cup five weeks later. That journey reached its conclusion in a similarly convincing manner here Saturday when Knicks Go proved he could stretch his abundant speed out to 1 1/8 miles in the process of recording his fourth consecutive one-sided win since being transferred to trainer Brad Cox’s barn after his 3-year-old season.  With regular rider Joel Rosario aboard, Knicks Go, as expected, wasted little time taking control of the race while setting another very honest pace, posting splits of 22.90 and 46.16 for the opening half-mile while pressed by Last Judgment from the outset.  Knicks Go shook free of his early pursuers midway on the second turn, settled into the stretch with a comfortable advantage and was being geared down by Rosario in the closing stages with the outcome no longer in doubt. Jesus’ Team, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Knicks Go in the Dirt Mile, raced well-placed under his new rider Irad Ortiz Jr. for the opening six furlongs, angled well wide while commencing his bid into the stretch, rallied out near the center of the course and ultimately wore down Independence Hall by a neck to be second-best. The latter saved ground while kept within easy striking distance, eased out for the drive and continued willingly to finish third while returning to Gulfstream Park for the first time since a disappointing performance 10 months earlier in the Florida Derby. Sleepy Eyes Todd dropped far back during the early going before passing tired horses at the end to finish fourth. Code of Honor could not sustain a rally after moving within striking distance into the stretch, checking home a disappointing fifth as the 4-1 second choice. Coastal Defense, Kiss Today Goodbye, Last Judgment, Math Wizard, Tax, Mr Freeze, and Harpers First Ride, who was eased to the wire after losing contact with the field, rounded out the complete order of finish. Korea Racing Authority owns Knicks Go, a 5-year-old son of Paynter. Knicks Go completed the distance in 1:47.89 over the fast track, earning a projected Beyer Speed Figure of 108 that matches the number he posted for his victory in the Dirt Mile. He paid $4.60. Cox said even though the pace was rapid, he felt comfortable watching as the race unfolded. “Honestly, I was thinking it was much slower than the dirt mile,” Cox said with a smile. “Joel had a hold of him. He was getting a little pressure from the outside, but he was pressured in the Breeders’ Cup. So I felt that he (Rosario) was confident he would stay on.” Cox did admit to feeling some sense of relief once the race was over. “You want your horse to perform the way you watched them train and breeze,” Cox said. “You lead them over with confidence and when you see them kick away down the lane like he did, it’s a special moment. Obviously, in a race like this, it’s one you’ll never forget.” Cox also said he doesn’t think 1 1/8 miles is the end of the line, distance-wise, for Knicks Go as the year progresses. “I believe if he gets the right setup, I do believe he can get a mile and one quarter,” Cox said. “Paynter and Awesome Again line, it’s a mile-and-one-quarter pedigree." Rosario acknowledged Cox’s thought regarding the early pace. “He really enjoys what he is doing up there,” Rosario said. “I was never worried about somebody getting close to me because I knew he was going to have a little more left in the end. He’s a very special horse. He just goes faster and faster.” Jun Park, who represents Korea Racing Authority, confirmed after the race that Knicks Go would continue racing through the end of 2021. “Today he proved he can handle distance and different racetracks,” Park said. “He’ll continue to race the rest of the year, and then we’ll have a plan for his retirement in 2022.” Jose D’Angelo, who trains Jesus’ Team for Grupo 7C Racing Stable, said, “I am very proud of Jesus, very happy he ran a great race again” before acknowledging the possibility that his horse could make his next start in the $20 million Saudi Cup on March 20.