Fourth-place Captain Cook ran best among the newly turned 4-year-olds in the Pegasus last weekend. The others, Disco Time and Tappan Street, finished, respectively, eighth and 12th. Tappan Street’s the last horse to beat Sovereignty, and some are treating the Pegasus like a referendum on the 3-year-old class of 2025.
SHARONS BEACH
Trainer: Jonathan Thomas
Last race: Jan. 23, 4th
Finish: 2nd by neck
Beyer: 89
Maiden 3-year-old comebacker pressed pace two wide, narrowed gap late, finished nearly nine lengths clear of third. Can be long gone in next restricted maiden sprint.
RACE 8: NELSON AVENUE ran strongly in the fall when landing a Parx Racing stakes before ending up second among three next-out winners in the Grade 3 Forty Niner at Aqueduct. The late-bloomer has been working sharply with Grade 2 winner Jody’s Pride and is drawn favorably outside all the speed in this quality field. LIFE AND TIMES received a triple-digit Beyer in both of his blowout scores at the Big A and could be the controlling speed after breaking from the rail in his stakes debut. (2)
Daily Racing Form handicappers David Aragona and Gino Buccola analyze the mandatory-payout Rainbow 6 on Pegasus World Cup Day on Jan. 24, 2026, at Gulfstream Park.
The sequence begins with the Grade 3 Fred Hooper Stakes (Race 8, post: 2:41 p.m. Eastern) and concludes with the Pegasus World Cup Invitational.
FLASH OF LIGHTNING
Trainer: Richard Baltas
Last race: Jan. 15, 5th
Finish: 3rd by 1 3/4
Beyer: 59
Maiden 3-year-old stretched to turf mile, was bumped and shuffled, raced along rail near rear, angled out, finished well, galloped out well. Solid effort, Cal-bred maiden win is imminent.
