Giuseppe the Great possible for Pegasus

Giuseppe the Great, who was graded stakes placed in several major 3-year-old events this year, finally dropped into the allowance ranks to post his second career victory as an overwhelming 1-5 favorite Sunday.

Afterward, trainer Nick Zito did not rule out the possibility of entertaining an offer from one of the stakeholders to bring him back in the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 27.

Giuseppe the Great had to work hard through the stretch before finally turning back a stubborn Red Crescent for his first win since a maiden victory at Keeneland in April.

Zito, who trains Giuseppe the Great for Nina Moss’s Mossarosa, confessed he watched the race from the far end of the grandstand because of the pressure involved in running such a short-priced favorite.

“You know why I went all the way down there?” Zito said. “Because that’s where the exit is. I was getting ready to run out, just in case. I can’t ever recall running a 1-5 favorite before in my entire training career.”

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Zito may never have previously started a 1-5 favorite, but he did send War Pass out to win an allowance race here at 1-9 in 2008 and at the same price when finishing off the board less than a month later in the Tampa Bay Derby.

Zito is never averse to taking a shot with an outsider in a major event, and he said his owner feels the same way, when asked about the possibility of starting Giuseppe the Great in the world’s richest race next month.

“Mrs. Moss has a great quote,” Zito said. “She said if you don’t take a shot, you can’t score.”

If a deal is not struck to run in the Pegasus, the Grade 3 Skip Away on Jan. 13 could be an option for Giuseppe the Great’s 4-year-old debut.

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Two co-features Wednesday

Fans must come early to see the two co-features on Wednesday’s card, to be decided as the first and third races on the 10-race program, for a purse of $50,000 each.

The opener is scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on the turf under first-level allowance and optional-claiming conditions with Enchanting Kitten, for trainer Chad Brown, and Christophe Clement’s Quant likely to vie for favoritism.

The third event is an entry-level allowance dash going seven furlongs with trainer Todd Pletcher sending out likely choice Fillet of Sole against top contenders Union Brass and Rock and Fellers.