Nimitz Class could be a shrewd buy for new owners

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – As far back as November, owner Jake Ballis figured there would not be a superstar running in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park in January and he wanted to have a horse to run in the race.

It took until mid-December, but Ballis and several of his partners got a deal done to purchase the multiple listed stakes winner Nimitz Class, who will break from the rail in a field of 12 in Saturday’s Pegasus.

“I thought the race would be completely wide open and this horse has run speed figures comparable to any horse in the race,” Ballis said.

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Ballis races under the moniker Black Type Thoroughbreds. His partners on Nimitz Class include Qatar Racing, Reagan Swinbank, and Steve Adkisson. Nimitz Class is trained by George Weaver.

Ballis has enjoyed success with private purchases over the years, winning stakes with the likes of Pass the Champagne, Hidden Connection, Sacred Wish, Youalmosthadme, and Crimson Advocate.

Nimitz Class, a Pennsylvania-bred son of Munnings, won 11 of 21 starts for previous owner Tom Coulter and trainer Bruce Kravets.

Nimitz Class went 5 for 9 in 2023, scoring two stakes wins at Laurel Park last winter and then defeating the highly regarded Gunite in the Parx Dirt Mile in September.

“I understand Gunite is not best going two turns, but he had run well going two turns and he had no excuse in that race,” Ballis said. “The horse is capable running a very big [speed] figure. If he can get back to that, he can be competitive.”

The worst race Nimitz Class ran in 2023 was his last, a well-beaten third in the Michael Ballezzi Appreciation Mile on Oct. 17.

“He lost contact with the field behind a slow pace,” Ballis said. “If you draw a line through that, he won five of nine was second three other times. He’s done well with George since he had him. I’m fairly confident he’s going to run a very good race, I don’t know if it’s good enough to win. But in that field, I think there’s more horses that can win it than don’t have a shot in there.”

Edgard Zayas will ride Nimitz Class.

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