Zulu Alpha flies by Magic Wand to win Pegasus World Cup Turf under a rail-skimming ride

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Zulu Alpha didn’t reach his peak until his 6-year-old season. On Saturday at Gulfstream Park, the old pro gave every indication his 7-year-old campaign might be even better after slipping up the rail under a superbly judged ride by Tyler Gaffalione to register a two-length victory in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational over last year’s runner-up Magic Wand.

Zulu Alpha, claimed for $80,000 by trainer Mike Maker in the interests of owner Michael Hui in September 2018, won three races and earned over $1.1 million in 2019. Included among those wins were victories over the Gulfstream Park turf in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida and Grade 3 McKnight. Those events were decided around three turns, which seemed to be Zulu Alpha’s best game. The Pegasus Turf was run around two turns at a mile and three-sixteenths.

Gaffalione allowed Zulu Alpha to settle in mid-pack while saving ground as Magic Wand set the pace under jockey Ryan Moore. Zulu Alpha commenced his bid on the final bend, found ample room along the rail when set down by Gaffalione in early stretch, got through inside the tiring leader near the sixteenth pole, and won going away.

Magic Wand, second best behind Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in last year’s inaugural running of the Pegasus Turf, broke well from her outside post to gain command coming to the wire the first time around. She rated kindly on the lead, disposed of a challenge from Zulu Alpha’s uncoupled stablemate Henley’s Joy while slightly removed from the inside into the stretch but proved no match for the winner while outlasting Instilled Regard by a neck to finish second. Without Parole, the tepid 3-1 favorite, was never a serious factor, ultimately finishing 11th in a full field of 12 turf specialists.

Zulu Alpha ran 1 3/16 miles over the firm course in 1:51.60 and paid $25.60.

“He’s a great horse,” Maker said. “I thought he got unlucky in the Breeders’ Cup or he might have gotten a bigger slice there. He got some time off after that and really thrived coming in. Since he’s been back he’s been a lot sharper and for $1 million you’ve got to take a chance. Tyler’s ride was great. I was hoping he got out, but he saved all the ground and got lucky.”

Gaffalione said he didn’t see any reason to go around horses the way the race was developing in front of him.

“The trip worked out beautifully,” said Gaffalione. “There was enough pace in front of us to allow the horse to settle and they just kept coming off the fence. And he got more competitive down in there. When I got close to the 12 horse [Magic Wand] he actually tried a little more.”

Ryan Moore said of Magic Wand, “She ran super, she’s an uncomplicated filly and it’s a shame she got beat. But she ran lovely.”