Pegasus World Cup field beginning to gel
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A field of at least 11 older horses is taking shape for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup next Saturday at Gulfstream Park, with Omaha Beach looming a decisive favorite in the fourth running of the 1 1/8-mile race.
According to the Gulfstream racing office, these are the confirmed prospects and riding assignments for the Pegasus as of Friday:
Bodexpress, Emisael Jaramillo; Diamond Oops, Julien Leparoux; Higher Power, Flavien Prat; Mr Freeze, Luis Saez; Omaha Beach, Mike Smith; Seeking the Soul, John Velazquez; Spun to Run, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Tax, Jose Ortiz; Tenfold, Javier Castellano; True Timber, Joe Bravo; and War Story, Joel Rosario.
Magic Wand, the star Coolmore mare, had been considered for the Pegasus but will instead go in the Pegasus World Cup Turf.
Entries for both Pegasus races, as well as seven other Saturday stakes, will be drawn Wednesday.
Omaha Beach, who has been at Gulfstream since being flown from California shortly after winning the Grade 1 Malibu, was scheduled to have his final pre-race breeze this weekend, said trainer Richard Mandella.
An equine charter from San Bernardino, Calif., to Fort Lauderdale by way of New Orleans is scheduled for Tuesday.
Pegasus Turf
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Magic Wand and the Chad Brown trio of Instilled Regard, Sacred Life, and Without Parole are among a full field of 12 for the second running of the $1 million Pegasus Turf, which goes at 1 3/16 miles.
The well-traveled Magic Wand, an earner of more than $4.1 million, was beaten a nose in the Dec. 8 Hong Kong Cup in her last start. Brown won the inaugural Pegasus Turf last January with Bricks and Mortar.
As of Friday, this is the prospective lineup:
Admission Office, no rider; Arklow, Saez; Channel Cat, Velazquez; Henley’s Joy, Leparoux; Instilled Regard, Irad Ortiz; Magic Wand, Ryan Moore; Mo Forza, Rosario; Next Shares, Jose Valdivia Jr.; Sacred Life, Jose Ortiz; Sadler’s Joy, Castellano; Without Parole, Frankie Dettori; and Zulu Alpha, Tyler Gaffalione.
Inside Information
Two-time Grade 1 winner Spiced Perfection, a last-out winner of the Grade 3 Go for Wand at Aqueduct, was withdrawn by trainer Peter Miller from the Jan. 11 La Canada at Santa Anita to await the Grade 2, $200,000 Inside Information, for fillies and mares going seven furlongs. The California-bred mare will have Castellano back aboard as part of what is expected to be a sizable field, with Pink Sands and Blamed among her most accomplished rivals.
Fred W. Hooper
Miller said Friday he is considering sending Gray Magician for the Grade 3, $150,000 Hooper, a one-mile dirt race for older horses also expected to get Epic Dreamer, Free Enterprise, Tale of Silence, Zenden, and more.
W.L. McKnight
Mike Maker, who has won the last three runnings of this 1 1/2-mile turf race for older horses, once again will be well represented in the Grade 3, $200,000 W.L. McKnight with Cross Border, Temple, and possibly Apreciado. Tiz a Slam, Red Knight, American Tattoo, are among the other probables.
La Prevoyante
Lady Paname, a 6-year-old gray mare, has been working steadily for Brown since mid-November and is expected to make her first start in 14 months in the Grade 3, $200,000 La Prevoyante, the filly-mare counterpart to the McKnight. Empressof the Nile, Get Explicit, and the Coolmore filly Simply Beautiful will be among her challengers.
◗ Three ungraded $150,000 stakes, all on turf, also will be part of the Pegasus undercard. They are the South Beach, for fillies and mares at 7 1/2 furlongs, and the World of Trouble Turf Sprint and Ladies’ Turf Sprint, both at five furlongs.
