HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The first invitation list has been released for this year’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 24. The group of a dozen horses is topped by White Abarrio, the runaway winner of this event a year ago, and Florida Derby winner Tappan Street, the only horse to finish in front of likely Horse of the Year Sovereignty during the 2025 season.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and his wife, Julie, spent December celebrating some personal milestones in the lives of their sons, jockey Keith Asmussen and the stable’s accountant and bookkeeper, Darren Asmussen.
Darren was married on a recent Saturday in Texas.
“Darren’s wedding was one of the most significant events I’ve ever witnessed in my whole life,” Steve Asmussen said. “It was beyond emotional.”
Keith agreed.
“It was a beautiful wedding,” he said. “I was in awe the whole time. It was very special.”
Apprentice jockey Amir Mendoza ventured to the United States from his native Panama this winter and is making his mark in the standings at Oaklawn Park – all while getting to know a jockey from his country that he has long admired.
“He’s a huge Luis Saez fan, and they have the same valet at Oaklawn,” said agent Jose Santos Jr., the son of retired Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jose Santos. “We got lucky. Mark Kelly, his valet, is an awesome guy and takes great care of him, and we were lucky to get in with him. Julien [Leparoux] recommended him.”
The near-millionaire Corningstone has been retired and is scheduled to be bred during the upcoming season, according to her trainer, Kenny McPeek.
The 6-year-old daughter of Kantharos won 10 of 31 starts and earned $979,978. She raced for Payson Stud Inc. and RTA Trust.
Corningstone made her final start Dec. 26, finishing fifth in the Pippin Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Santa Anita canceled racing on Wednesday and Thursday this week because of rain. As of 10 a.m. on Thursday, areas close to Santa Anita had received approximately 2.1 inches of rain, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Much of the rain fell late Wednesday evening and into the early hours of Thursday. Racing is scheduled for Friday through Sunday this weekend.
With the loss of Wednesday’s program, a day of racing has been added to the schedule on Thursday, Jan. 8. Entries for that program will be taken on Saturday.
Baeza, the winner of the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby in September, has resumed galloping at Santa Anita for a comeback in the coming months.
Third in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes last spring, Baeza has not raced since he finished sixth of nine in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1. Owned by CRK Stables and Grandview Equine, Baeza has shown eager behavior at times in his recent training, according to trainer John Shirreffs.
Antonio Fresu, one of the top riders in California, will be sidelined for as long as six weeks after sustaining an injury to the small toe on his left foot in an incident at Santa Anita on Sunday.
On Thursday, Fresu said that the toe was broken and severely cut when Anmer Hall struck the inside rail on the hillside turf course. The incident occurred when Fresu was forced to check his mount after one of the horses he was following drifted to the inside.
Fresu quickly pulled up Anmer Hall after the incident. Fresu was hospitalized on Sunday afternoon.
Sunland Park in New Mexico, which is under new ownership, opens a 55-date meet Friday. The season runs through April 5.
The Sunland Derby will share a card with the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks on Feb. 15. There are a number of other stakes on the card, which will be worth a meet-high $1.1 million.
Sunland features races for both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.
Corrina Corrina, who is the all-time leading earner among New Mexico-bred Thoroughbreds, is scheduled to run Sunday in the $80,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Stakes.
Express Kid, who picked up 10 points toward the Kentucky Derby with his win in the $300,000 Springboard Mile last month at Remington Park, will likely advance to another points race, according to trainer Wade Rarick.
Express Kid is now based at Turf Paradise after his win at Remington, and a race that Rarick is targeting for the horse is the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 15. It also distributes points for the Kentucky Derby.
Rarick wants to give Express Kid another shot at a points race to see if he might duplicate his upset win in the Springboard.
Sam Houston Race Park opens a 41-date meet Friday night with its Houston Racing Festival card right around the corner. The Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup will again anchor the meet’s richest day when the races are renewed Jan. 24.
Sam Houston races through April 4. The track will race on a Friday-through-Sunday schedule, with a 6:30 p.m. Central post on Fridays and a 1 p.m. post on Saturdays and Sundays.
