Tag: colonel liam

Life Is Good Prepares for Pegasus

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s TDN Rising Star Life Is Good (Into Mischief) posted another sharp work Saturday morning as he readies for his next scheduled start in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Jan. 29.

The 4-year-old breezed five furlongs in 1:00.36 at Palm Beach Downs for Todd Pletcher, third-fastest of 14 horses at the distance Saturday.

“Just another super work this morning,” said the Hall of Famer of the 3-year-old Eclipse finalist. “Looked awesome, finished up really strong, galloped out great. Looks good here [Saturday] afternoon. We're very, very happy with him. I had him in a minute and 2/5, had him shading :23 the last quarter. He galloped out seven-eighths in 1:26 2/5 and just looked great doing it.”

Saturday's work was Life Is Good's sixth work since his front-running 5 3/4-length score in the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.

Earning a Rising Star badge following his 9 1/2-length victory for Bob Baffert in his sole start of 2020, he won his next two to kick off his sophomore season in the GIII Sham S. and GII San Felipe S. Runner-up to Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in his first start for Pletcher in the Aug. 28 GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., the bay galloped in the GII Kelso H. before airing on Breeders' Cup Day.

“I love the way he's settled in here. He's been really training well, but also a little more relaxed,” Pletcher said. “I think he likes the environment at Palm Beach Downs. We kind of take him out when he's the only horse on the racetrack, so he's enjoying that.”

He added, “His works, he couldn't work any better, but he's always been such an exceptional work horse that I guess anything other than exceptional would be concerning. He seems to be every bit as good or better than he was going into the Breeders' Cup.”

Also slated to run on the Pegasus card, Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), who prepares to defend his title in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, exited his five-furlong breeze in 1:00.23 at Palm Beach Downs Friday in fine form. Friday's move was the fastest of 11 horses.

“I am very pleased,” he said. “It looks like he's coming up to it in good order. One more breeze to go, but all systems go.”

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Report: Knee Fracture Could Force Irad Ortiz Jr. To Miss Pegasus World Cup

Three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. could be out three to four weeks as a result of a knee injury suffered in a starting gate incident on Jan. 7 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee reported.

Ortiz suffered a small fracture to his knee, the jockey's agent, Steve Rushing, told McGee on Tuesday.

Ortiz injured the knee on Jan. 7 when his mount, Shea On a Mission, was fractious in the starting gate prior to the eighth race at Gulfstream Park. Shea On a Mission, a 4-year-old Mission Impazible filly with four previous starts, was scratched from the race.

Ortiz took off his two remaining mounts on the Jan. 7 program but thought he would be able to ride the Jan. 8-9 programs at Gulfstream. He scratched from those mounts the next morning after the pain did not subside, but expected to be back riding on Jan. 12. Those hopes were dashed when the fracture was discovered.

If he is sidelined three weeks, the injury could be a costly one for Ortiz, who was expected to be named to ride Life Is Good in the $3 million, Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and defending champion Colonel Liam in the $1 million, G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf – both on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park. Ortiz rode Life Is Good to victory in his last start in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and was aboard Colonel Liam in the 2021 Pegasus Turf.

Winner of the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in 2018, '19 and '20, Ortiz was the runaway leader in the jockey standings at the 2020-'21 championship  meet at Gulfstream Park. He finished second behind Joel Rosario in North American earnings in 2021, with $29,274,435.

The gate incident came one day after Ortiz returned from a 30-day suspension for careless riding at Aqueduct.

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Pletcher: Life Is Good ‘Continues To Train Very Impressively’ For Pegasus

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good, dominant winner of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his most recent start, continues to train forwardly toward his 4-year-old debut in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park.

The return of the Pegasus World Cup and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) and debut of the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3) headline a Pegasus Day program featuring seven graded-stakes worth $5.2 million in purses. All three Pegasus races are for older horses.

Life Is Good was among two dozen horses breezing for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. The Into Mischief colt was clocked 1:00.41 for five furlongs, fifth-fastest of 11 horses.

“He's a phenomenal workhorse. He's a very talented, gifted animal that when you watch him breeze you kind of look at your stopwatch and it doesn't look like what you'd expect to see when he's doing it. He's doing it so easily,” Pletcher said. “He continues to train very impressively. We're three weeks out and we're happy with where we are.”

Fellow Pegasus World Cup candidate Fearless worked a half-mile in 50.04 seconds Saturday. Repole Stable's Fearless exits a four-length victory in the Harlan's Holiday (G3) Dec. 18 at Gulfstream, where he also won the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) last February.

Among the stakes on the Pegasus undercard is the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3) for 4-year-olds and up going one mile on the main track.

“Fearless continues to train really well. Happy with him,” Pletcher said. “We haven't decided. I talked to Mike Repole and right now we're leaning toward the mile race that day on the undercard.”

Pegasus Turf candidates Colonel Liam and Never Surprised were also on Saturday's work tab. Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, the defending champion, went five furlongs in 1:00.46 while Never Surprised, winner of the Dec. 26 Tropical Turf at Gulfstream, had a half-mile move in 51.01 seconds.

The Lows also own Sweet Melania, who earned her third career graded-stakes triumph in the Dec. 18 Suwannee River (G3) Dec. 18 at Gulfstream and is being pointed to the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf. The American Pharoah mare worked four furlongs in 50.32 seconds.

“Colonel Liam, very good breeze with him again this morning. We're on a tight schedule, but everything has gone right so far and I think we're approaching the race the way you'd hope. Never Surprised bounced out of the Tropical Derby very well, just a maintenance breeze this morning. Happy with him,” Pletcher said. “Sweet Melania, she was good this morning, too. So far, everything's gone according to plan.”

Pletcher said Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal, last out winner of the Dec. 4 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, will make his sophomore debut in the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 5, Gulfstream's next stop for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) April 2.

Mo Donegal worked five furlongs in 1:00.46 Saturday at Palm Meadows, his third breeze since arriving in South Florida.

“Very good work, happy with him,” Pletcher said. “He's right on schedule for the Holy Bull.”

Pletcher also provided an update on WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's Emmanuel, a 3-year-old More Than Ready colt that debuted with a front-running 6 ¾-length triumph in a one-mile maiden special weight Dec. 11 at Gulfstream. He was scratched from a one-mile, 40-yard optional claiming allowance Friday at Tampa Bay Downs.

“He spiked a 102.5 temperature the morning after we entered,” Pletcher said. “It's kind of frustrating. We were kind of hoping to get some two-turn experience at Tampa. He's fine, he's going back to the track tomorrow. Now we've just got to regroup and find out we're going to come back.”

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Life Is Good Tops Pletcher’s Pegasus Workers Saturday

'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), a dominant winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 6, continues to train forwardly toward his 4-year-old debut in the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park.

Life Is Good was among two dozen horses breezing for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. He was clocked in 1:00.41 (5/11) for five furlongs.

“He's a phenomenal workhorse. He's a very talented, gifted animal that when you watch him breeze you kind of look at your stopwatch and it doesn't look like what you'd expect to see when he's doing it. He's doing it so easily,” Pletcher said. “He continues to train very impressively. We're three weeks out and we're happy with where we are.”

Fearless (Ghostzapper) worked a half-mile in :50.04 (15/25). He exits a four-length victory in the GIII Harlan's Holiday S. Dec. 18 at Gulfstream.

“Fearless continues to train really well. Happy with him,” Pletcher said. “We haven't decided [what's next]. I talked to Mike Repole and right now we're leaning toward the mile race [GIII Fred W. Hooper] that day on the undercard.”

Pegasus World Cup Turf candidates Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) and Never Surprised (Constitution) were also on Saturday's worktab. Colonel Liam, the defending Pegasus World Cup Turf winner, went five furlongs in 1:00.46 (6/11) while Never Surprised, winner of the Dec. 26 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream, had a half-mile move in :51.01 (22/25). Colonel Liam has been off since finishing eighth in the GI Manhattan S. at Belmont in June.

Sweet Melania (American Pharoah), who earned her third career graded win in the Dec. 18 GIII Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream, is being pointed to the GIII Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf. She worked four furlongs in :50.32 (19/25).

“Colonel Liam, very good breeze with him again this morning. We're on a tight schedule, but everything has gone right so far and I think we're approaching the race the way you'd hope. Never Surprised bounced out of the Tropical Derby very well, just a maintenance breeze this morning. Happy with him,” Pletcher said. “Sweet Melania, she was good this morning, too. So far, everything's gone according to plan.”

Pletcher said that Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), a last out winner of the Dec. 4 GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct, will make his sophomore debut in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5. Mo Donegal worked five furlongs in 1:00.46 (6/11) Saturday, his third breeze since arriving in South Florida.

“Very good work, happy with him,” Pletcher said. “He's right on schedule for the Holy Bull.”

Pletcher also provided an update on flashy Gulfstream debut winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready). He was scratched from an optional claiming allowance Friday at Tampa Bay Downs.

“He spiked a 102.5 temperature the morning after we entered,” Pletcher said. “It's kind of frustrating. We were kind of hoping to get some two-turn experience at Tampa. He's fine, he's going back to the track tomorrow. Now we've just got to regroup and find out we're going to come back.”

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