Tag: breeders’ cup mile

‘Optimistic That He’ll Continue To Stretch Out’: Pletcher Aims Life Is Good At Pegasus World Cup

A year after adding the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) to his Hall of Fame resume, trainer Todd Pletcher is targeting the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) for his next conquest during the upcoming 2021-2022 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park.

The Pegasus World Cup and the Pegasus World Cup Turf will co-headline a program with seven graded stakes Jan. 29 during Gulfstream's annual celebration of World Class Thoroughbred racing, entertainment, fashion and dining. The Championship Meet will get underway Friday and run through April 3.

Pletcher, the defending 18-time Championship Meet titlist, is preparing Life Is Good for a start in the Pegasus World Cup, as well as planning for a defense of the Pegasus World Cup Turf by Colonel Liam.

Life Is Good is fresh off a dazzling front-running victory in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar by 5 ¾ lengths

“He's an extremely impressive horse to watch train. What everybody saw in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile is what we've grown accustomed to seeing in his training,” Pletcher said.

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC's 3-year-old son of Into Mischief is on course for a clash with Pegasus World Cup defending champion Knicks Go, who captured the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in front-running style by 2 ¾ lengths over Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Medina Spirit.

Life Is Good has set the pace in all six of his career starts, including his first three races that included dominating victories over Medina Spirit in the Sham (G3) and San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita for former trainer Bob Baffert. The Kentucky-bred colt, who was sidelined with an unspecified injury, came up a neck short of holding off Jackie's Warrior in his first start for Pletcher in the seven-furlong H Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga off a 5 ½-month layoff. He came back to score a 5 ½-length victory in the one-turn mile Kelso before carrying his speed around two turns in the Dirt Mile.

“He's got a lot of brilliance. He's got speed and the ability to carry it over a route of ground. He's just a very, very talented, impressive horse,” said Pletcher, whose best finisher in the Pegasus World Cup thus far was 2017 third-place finisher Neolithic. “We're optimistic that he'll continue to stretch out. He certainly trains like a horse that wants to go further. We're excited about getting him back for next year.”

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam surged from off the pace to defeat Pletcher-trained Largent by a neck in last year's Pegasus World Cup Turf, which the son of Liam's Map used as a springboard for victories in the Muniz Memorial (G2) and Churchill Downs' Turf Classic (G1). He has been idle since finishing off the board in the Manhattan at Belmont in June.

“He's at Palm Beach Downs now and training really well. We're looking forward to having him defend his Pegasus World Cup Turf title,” Pletcher said. “Hopefully, everything goes smoothly. He's doing well at the moment.”

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Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Sunday that Noble Damsel (G3) winner Shifty She will prep for the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3) in the Dec. 18 Suwannee River (G3) at Gulfstream.

“She is going to run here on the 18th in the Grade 3,” said Joseph of the 5-year-old mare, owned and co-bred by Chris Pallas and co-owned by Harvey Rothenberg. “We're going to use that hopefully as a prep for the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf.”

“She came out of her last race really well. We gave her a little freshening. We thought about going straight to the Pegasus race, but there's too much time between races. We figured we'd get a race here and then go into it.”

“She's a gutsy horse with a will to win. Even if she doesn't win, she tries hard and always shows up.”

Earlier this year Shifty She won the Ginger Punch and Powder Break at Gulfstream. The daughter of Gone Astray has won six of 10 lifetime starts.

The post ‘Optimistic That He’ll Continue To Stretch Out’: Pletcher Aims Life Is Good At Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Space Blues Rockets To Lead In Late Stretch To Take Breeders’ Cup Mile

In the last race of his career, Space Blues (IRE) goes out a winner in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. After a delayed start, the Godolphin bred and owned horse overtook frontrunner Smooth Like Strait in the final furlong to win by a half-length.

Space Blues was one of two Godolphin runners sent postward in a full field of 14 for the Mile, but Master of the Seas, in post one, reared up in the gate twice, hitting his head on an overhead bar. With that, much like Friday's incident with Albahr in the Juvenile Turf, Master of the Seas was a late scratch, leaving only Space Blues to contest in the blue silks.

“Yeah, well, we, Yogi said it best. It's deja vu all over again. About the time you don't think something can happen just come around the next day. Certainly didn't see this coming,” Godolphin racing manager Jimmy Bell said in the post-race press conference. “But as William and Charlie both say, we got to appreciate these horses. This is a live situation and these things happen. It's a part of the race. We all hate to see these things but it just goes to show you that there's just so many uncontrollable events.

After the field reloaded, the break was a clean one, with Smooth Like Strait going to the lead in the race's opening strides, with Blowout and Space Blues running second and third. After a first quarter in :23.51 and the half mile in :47.38, Smooth Like Strait maintained a one-length lead down the backstretch, with Space Blues and William Buick on the rail in third.

On the far turn, Buick moved Space Blues to the outside, as Smooth Like Strait looked poised to go wire to wire. The Godolphin horse turned on the jets midstretch and wore down Smooth Like Strait to win by a half-length. Ivar came on to finish third, with Raging Bull fourth.

The final time was 1:34.12. Find this race's chart here.

Space Blues paid $6.20, $4.60. and $3.40. Smooth Like Strait paid $9.00 and $6.20. Ivar paid $11.40.

“I'm absolutely delighted. He's been a fantastic horse and will now be retired to stud. William gave him a great ride in the perfect position throughout. Space Blues has been a great servant and it's another well-deserved win. I'm thrilled for team Godolphin both here and back home at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket and obviously His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. It was an interesting race beforehand with Master of The Seas being scratched but we're getting used to that now! Rules are rules and we have to abide by them,” said trainer Charles Appleby after the Mile.

“Coming here I knew I had some very good rides. Space Blues traveled to America very well and Charlie has been delighted with all of our horses coming into the races. We know how tough it is to come here and everything needs to pan out for you to win. He's a great little horse and I don't think he's had the recognition he deserves. A mile round here suits him down to the ground. I was a bit nervous going into the race as I wanted to give the horse what he deserved,” winning jockey William Buick told the Del Mar Press Office after the race.

As for Master of the Seas, Appleby gave an update on the colt's condition: “Master Of The Seas is fine and James is fine. And I say deja vu, so I'm getting used to this sort of speech now, but the most important thing is he came back safe.

Space Blues is by Dubawi (IRE) out of the Noverre mare Miss Lucifer (FR). The 5-year-old horse has four wins in six starts in 2021, including the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp in France and the Group 2 City of York Stakes at York in England, for a lifetime record of 11 wins in 19 starts and career earnings of $2,585,725.

The post Space Blues Rockets To Lead In Late Stretch To Take Breeders’ Cup Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hit the Road Out of BC Mile

Grade I winner Hit the Road (More Than Ready) has been scratched from Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile due to a fever, trainer Dan Blacker announced via Twitter Friday.

“Sad to report we have to scratch Hit The Road from Breeders' Cup Mile as he has a fever,” Blacker tweeted. “So disappointed for his great group of owners. Unbelievably bad timing and bad luck. We will get him healthy, regroup and point for the next race.”

Winner of the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile and GIII Thunder Road S. earlier this year, Hit the Road was most recently third in the GII City of Hope Mile S. Oct. 2.

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Former New York Stallion Cosmonaut Euthanized

Cosmonaut (Lemon Drop Kid–Cosmic Fire, by Capote), a four-time Grade III winner and third in the 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Mile, was euthanized Oct. 29 at Cornell Equine Hospital due to complications from surgery. He was 19 years of age.

Bred in Kentucky by Patricia Pavlish, Cosmonaut was purchased by trainer Carlos Martin on behalf of Carl Lizza's Flying Zee Stable for $105,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September Sale and was a two-time winner and runner-up in the 2005 Commonwealth Turf. Turned over to Patrick Biancone the following season, the gray won the GIII Golden Gate Fields H. and GIII Arlington H. He successfully defended his title in the latter event as a 5-year-old in 2007 and was runner-up in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile ahead of a third to Kip Deville (Kipling) in that year's waterlogged Mile at Monmouth Park. He remained in training through 2009, winning that year's GIII Fort Marcy S. for trainer Phil Serpe.

He retired with a record of eight wins from 36 starts and earnings of nearly $1.4 million, earning the right to stand in New York at Lynwood and Susie O'Cain's Highcliff Farm, and he later covered mares at Mill Creek Farm, Saratoga Stud and Keane Stud. Cosmonaut is the sire of 46 winners, four of which are black-type winners, including GIII Bourbonette Oaks heroine Wonderment. He was retired to Old Friends at Cabin Creek in 2018.

“Cosmonaut was a wonderful old guy and loved his peaceful life being an ambassador for aftercare, but mainly loved his alfalfa,” Old Friends at Cabin Creek owner and manager JoAnn Pepper said in a tweet October 29. “We miss him so much already. They never get to stay long enough.”

 

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