Law Professor possible for Pegasus World Cup Invitational
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Law Professor came out of his dominant 7 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Queens County Stakes in good order and will likely be headed back to graded stakes company for his next start, though where that will occur is yet to be determined.
Trainer Rob Atras and the ownership group Twin Creeks Racing Stable will have plenty of options including, possibly, the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 28.
Currently, Law Professor is on the also-eligible list for the Pegasus, but invitation lists are updated each Wednesday leading up to entry day Jan. 22. If the connections of Law Professor express an interest in running, there’s a chance they could get in.
“Right now, they’re keeping it as a thought,” Atras said of his owners. “It’s very quick back to have a peak performance against horses like Cyberknife, Art Collector, and Saffie [Joseph Jr.] has three in there. It’s a big ask.”
A start in the Pegasus would mean running back in three weeks plus shipping to South Florida. If not the Pegasus, options for Law Professor include the Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback at Oaklawn on Feb. 18 or the Grade 3, $250,000 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds on Feb. 19.
The Razorback is the first of three lucrative stakes for older males at Oaklawn that include the Grade 3, $500,000 Essex on March 18 and culminates with the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 22.
“Oaklawn’s got some real big pots,” Atras said. “We talked about that before. We want to make sure he’s good and look at the opportunities. I think we’re in a good spot with that performance yesterday.”
Law Professor, who in October ran second to Life Is Good in the Grade 1 Woodward and was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, dispatched the Queens County field rather easily. Under Manny Franco, Law Professor stalked two pacesetters from third, took control in upper stretch and was taken in hand by Franco nearing the wire. Law Professor ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.00 and earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
“My Plan A was to put him in a spot where he would be able to win and get his confidence,” Atras said. “To win like that was perfect.”
Funny How likely to Broadway
After recording her fourth consecutive victory with a first-level allowance score on Saturday, the New York-bred filly Funny How will make her stakes debut in the $100,000 Broadway Stakes here Feb. 12, trainer Ray Handal said Sunday.
Funny How, ridden by Katie Davis, ran down Dame Cinco to win Saturday’s nightcap by a nose. That came after an open-company maiden win and two New York-bred allowance victories. While Funny How earned only a 72 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday’s victory, Handal is still encouraged.
“She just has a will to win,” Handal said. “Some people say she finds good trips, I say she finds a way to win. Thought she got a perfect ride, Katie [Davis] did everything right.”
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