Pegasus World Cup: Cyberknife draws post 10; Proxy on rail
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – At 7 a.m. here Sunday, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was asked where he’d like to see his Florida Derby winner White Abarrio draw when post positions were pulled later that afternoon for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational.
“Seven,” Joseph replied emphatically.
Seven hours later, Joseph indeed got post 7 in the Pegasus World Cup, but not with White Abarrio, who ultimately drew post 4. Landing in post 7 was Skippylongstocking, one of two other contenders Joseph entered along with O’Connor among a field of 14 horses, including two also-eligibles, drawn for the marquee race of the 2022-23 Gulfstream Park Championship meet.
The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup was the third of three Pegasus World Cup events drawn between races at the track’s Carousel Club here Sunday along with the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf and $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf. They will highlight a 13-race card on Saturday that begins at 10:50 a.m.
The draw for the Pegasus World Cup was not quite as kind to the 5-2 morning-line favorite, multiple Grade 1 winner Cyberknife, who will break from post 10 under regular rider Florent Geroux with a relatively short run to the first turn in races decided at nine furlongs at Gulfstream Park. Cyberknife is coming off a heartbreaking second-place finish behind Eclipse Award male sprinter finalist Cody’s Wish – beaten a head following a torrid stretch duel – in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
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Proxy, the potential second choice in Pegasus World Cup wagering, drew the rail, the same post he broke from to capture the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Downs in his 2022 finale.
“I wanted the seven for Abarrio and got it with Skippylongstocking, which is just fine since they are both drawn well,” Joseph said. “Obviously, we didn’t make out as well with O’Connor, he got 12, but he’s the type of horse who will sit back and make one run anyway, so it might not be that much of a compromise. This is probably the best betting race of all the Pegasus World Cups to this point. There are no superstars in this field. No offense to anyone, because I think of all three of our horses as superstars to me, but it’s definitely the most wide-open field they’ve had in this event.”
The remainder of the Pegasus World Cup field includes Simplification (post 2), Ridin With Biden (post 3), Defunded (post 5), Art Collector (post 6), Get Her Number (post 8), Last Samurai (post 9), and Stilleto Boy (post 11). Hoist the Gold and Endorsed are the two also-eligible runners, in order of preference.
Ridin With Biden got into the race after the entry of Super Corinto was withdrawn just prior to the draw when it was confirmed by track officials early Sunday afternoon that there was a positive case of equine herpesvirus in his barn. The barn had already been placed under quarantine and currently remains in strict lockdown until further notice.
The Pegasus World Cup Turf also lured a full and wide-open field of 12, plus two others on the also-eligible list. The field is led by Ivar, who finished fourth – beaten just a length by Modern Games – while making his third consecutive appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Like Cyberknife, Ivar, who finished third and fourth in the two previous renewals of the BC Mile, will have to overcome a potential wide trip as he also is drawn in post 10 as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.
Ivar actually fared better at the draw than the horse many think could provide is stiffest challenge, City Man, who will begin from the extreme outside in post 12. City Man is coming off an impressive victory over stablemate Decorated Invader in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale here Dec. 31. Decorated Invader also returns in the Pegasus Turf.
Lady Speightspeare is the lone filly in the field and is exiting arguably a career-best performance when she finished third, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths by Tuesday, in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Trained by Roger Attfield, Lady Speightspeare had captured her three previous starts, all graded stakes, at Woodbine.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who was expected to send out Colonel Liam in quest of a third straight victory in the Pegasus Turf until the announcement was made of the horse’s retirement last week, will be represented instead by outsider Wit. His Pletcher-trained stablemate Steady On is second in preference among the pair on the also-eligible list.
The remainder of the Pegasus Turf lineup includes Good Governance, Atone, Hurricane Dream, One More Bid, Speaking Scout, Who’s the Star, and Master Piece.
The field for the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf, from the rail, is: Artie’s Princess, Dalika, Wakanaka, Sweet Enough, Mona Stella, Queen Goddess, Lady Rockstar, Justify My Love, Shantisara, Bay Storm, and Perseverancia.
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