HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Reactions in the aftermath of Saturday’s $16.3 million Pegasus World Cup ran the gamut in the camps of the two top local contenders in the event, from elation among the connections of third-place finisher Gunnevera to the disappointment expressed by trainer Jorge Navarro following Sharp Azteca’s troubled eighth-place finish. Gunnevera rallied up the rail under jockey Luis Saez to finish third, albeit a distant 13 3/4 lengths behind Gun Runner, in the Pegasus World Cup. The outing was the first for Gunnevera since his fifth-place finish, beaten 6 1/4 lengths by Gun Runner, 11 weeks earlier in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Gunnevera picked up $1.3 million for his third-place finish, making him one of only three horses to turn a profit for its connections (along with Gun Runner and runner-up West Coast) considering the $1 million fee to purchase a spot in the race. “I am so proud of my horse,” trainer Antonio Sano said Sunday. “I know some people said the horse was working very slow, but that’s how I train him. He’s never been a flashy work horse. I train him to finish while also two-minute-licking him between works during the week. He’s older now and a different horse than he was last year. He’s put on weight, so now I train him a little differently.” Sano said he was confident going into the Pegasus World Cup that Gunnevera would run a big race. “I told the owners that Gun Runner and West Coast were the horses to beat, but that we had a chance, especially since he likes this track so much,” Sano said. Sano said Gunnevera came out of the race in good shape and that he and the owners are now considering the Dubai World Cup on March 31 for his next start. “With Gun Runner retired, it looks like West Coast is the horse we’ve got to beat in the division the rest of the year,” Sano said. “Hopefully, he’ll stay on the West Coast and we can run on the other coast and avoid him whenever we can.” Sharp Azteca never got to run his race Saturday. The horse most experts felt would be on the early lead breaking inside both Collected and Gun Runner wound up getting pinched back to fifth place entering the first turn and retreated steadily after tracking the leaders for the opening six furlongs. “Our plan was to send him to the lead,” Navarro said. “He’s never been in that position before, taking so much dirt. It was just too much trouble to overcome. He got banged up a little, but fortunately he came back okay.” Navarro said he needed a couple of weeks to assess Sharp Azteca before looking ahead to his next start. “I’m going to run some tests on him, make sure everything is fine,” Navarro said. “If anything, his next start will be in Dubai, but nothing’s set yet.” Navarro was referring to the Group 2, $1 million Godolphin Mile on March 31. Navarro also sent out War Story to finish a distant 10th, 31 lengths behind the winner, in the Pegasus World Cup.