Maidens add intrigue to Pegasus undercard

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – While the $3 million Pegasus World Cup will command the bulk of the attention, and rightly so, here Saturday it is the second race on the card, a maiden special weight seven-furlong dash for 3-year-olds, that could have the most ramifications moving forward. One year ago the world got its first look at 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, who launched his career on the Pegasus undercard with a convincing 3 3/4-length maiden victory for trainer Gustavo Delgado.

Saturday’s second event lured a full field of 12 that includes unraced Batten Down, a son of Tapit out of five-time Grade 1 winner Close Hatches and a full brother to Belmont Stakes winner Tacitus; the Todd Pletcher-trained pair of Speak Easy and My True Colors, who have been working forwardly at Palm Beach Downs for their debuts; Corporate Power, by Curlin out of the Grade 2 winner Road to Victory; Tapakena, another son of Tapit who has several bullet drills on his résumé; and Big City, already a proven commodity having earned an 82 Beyer Speed Figure when second best behind Pletcher’s extremely impressive debut winner Born Noble in his first start four weeks ago.

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But perhaps the most compelling story in the race is whether lightning can strike twice for Delgado, who unveils Victory Avenue, a New York-bred son of Arrogate he believes is talented enough to perhaps follow in the massive footsteps Mage has left behind. Victory Avenue has been extremely impressive prepping for his debut since arriving in South Florida from the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington during the fall. Victory Avenue has displayed a perfect mix of speed and stamina in his morning works that culminated with a five-furlong bullet from the gate with company in 1:00 here last Friday.

“Talent-wise we think he is on a par with Mage, although they are two totally different horses,” said Delgado’s son and assistant Gustavo Jr. “Mage was quieter and easier going. This guy is a bit high strung. He’s also very fast, but has done a good job in the morning lately learning to relax. The problem is how they work in the morning alone or with one other horse, and how they react when in a full field with so many horses around them, is another story. You just never know what will happen the first time when the gate opens.

“How many horses have we seen that turned into champions who got beat in their first start? But we are very excited to finally see him run and confident, no matter the result, that there will still be a lot of room for improvement with him down the road.”

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