Godolphin's 5-year-old Proxy earned his first career stakes victory in Churchill Downs' Clark (G1) Nov. 25 in his most recent start. Now he seeks his second in another Grade 1: the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
Proxy powered five-eighths of a mile in 1:00 in company Saturday at the Fair Grounds as trainer Mike Stidham picked up the son of Tapit's training. The time was the second-fastest of 46 timed moves at the distance Saturday at the New Orleans track.
“It was a great work,” Stidham said by phone. “He had a workmate (Godolphin's maiden winner Global Sensation) in front of him as a target. He finished up really nice, the gallop-out was strong. He galloped out three-quarters of a mile in :12-and-3. Couldn't have gone any better. Came out of it in great shape. This was the first work we've asked him to finish stronger and gallop-out strong since his last race. He's had a series of works, but this was the first stiff work we've put into him.”
Off an almost five-month layoff, Proxy came into the 1 1/8-mile Clark with five career seconds and a pair of thirds in stakes company before winning his start in a Grade 1. Overall, he's 4-5-2 in 13 starts, earning $971,220.
“To make the first stakes win be a Grade 1 was a real bonus,” Stidham said. “But he had it coming. He was always just kind of a little bit behind maturity-wise as a 3-year-old. And he was running against arguably the best 3-year-olds in the country, having run against Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon and all those horses on the (Kentucky) Derby trail. He ran very well, competitively. He was always cut out to be a nice horse, but he was always just a step behind. Now he's finally caught up. He's matured both physically and mentally. He's finally developed into the horse we always thought and hoped he could be.”
Joel Rosario will ride Proxy in the Pegasus. Stidham said the colt will work the next two Saturdays before shipping to Gulfstream on Sunday Jan. 22
Plans call for Proxy to run through the year, with the ultimate goal being the $6-million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita.
The post ‘He’s Finally Developed Into The Horse We Always Thought And Hoped He Could Be’: Proxy Drills For Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
