GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational | Horse Racing Free Tips

National Treasure And Senor Buscador Atop The Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings

Edited Press Release

Now sitting atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings on 121, National Treasure (Quality Road) and Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) both began their 2024 campaigns in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. in January, which saw the former defeat Senor Buscador by a neck.

Following that effort, they both travelled to the Middle East to compete in the G1 Saudi Cup. Senor Buscador raced in the back of the field before rallying to defeat Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) by a head, who was weighted on 120 for this week's list. Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), who was three-quarters of a length back in third, came next on 119, while National Treasure finished fourth.

Ushba Tesoro shares the joint-second position in the rankings, along with G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the Listed HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar Feb. 17.

Joining them with 120 points is Private Eye (Aus) (Al Maher {Aus}). He finished second by a head in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning S. to Imperatriz (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), who made the list with 119.

Click here for the full list of ranked horses.

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National Treasure to Stand at Spendthrift Farm Upon Retirement

Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding rights to MGISW National Treasure (Quality Road– Treasure, by Medaglia D'oro), last year's GI Preakness S. hero and a thrilling winner of Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream.

“National Treasure is the kind of stallion prospect we all look for because he possesses every quality that excites you about his potential to become an important sire,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “He was precocious enough to place in a very good Breeders' Cup Juvenile, he's an American Classic winner at three and now a leading older horse at four. National Treasure is fast, has tremendous heart, and he's a very good-looking colt with exceptional sire power and pedigree. We are thrilled to partner with the 'Avengers' team on his future stallion career, and we wish them the best of luck on what could be a special year ahead for National Treasure.”

Campaigned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan, National Treasure earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in the Pegasus.

“He's just going to get better and better,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “And he's a fighter. That's a huge quality you want to see in a horse.”

National Treasure, a $500,000 yearling purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, began his career at two with a debut victory at 6 1/2 furlongs over subsequent GISW Practical Move (Practical Joke) at Del Mar. He finished runner-up to Cave Rock (Arrogate) a month later in the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita, before traveling to Keeneland and running a good third behind 2-year-old champion Forte (Violence) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

As a 3-year-old, National Treasure became his sire Quality Road's first Classic winner with a victory in the Preakness over GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic). He completed his sophomore season with a narrow defeat when runner-up by a nose to Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin) in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita, earning a 107 Beyer for the performance.

“National Treasure is an exceptional colt and his tenacity and appetite for racing are immense,” said Tom Ryan of SF Racing. “Winning the Preakness was epic, and his performance in the Breeders' Cup, where he laid his body on the line against the Horse of the Year, showed that we have a serious horse on our hands.”

Ryan continued, “National Treasure's efficiency at a high speed is one of his weapons. He's very light on his feet. His Pegasus running style brought on a new dimension that gives him options going forward. He's a beautiful, streamlined specimen. We think breeders will love him, and his pedigree is well-rounded and deep, giving him a chance to become a household name for Spendthrift. We are extremely proud of him.”

Out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Treasure, National Treasure hails from a deep family that has been developed through generations by his breeder Peter Blum, who first raced National Treasure's sixth dam Mono in the mid-1960s. An earner of $3,322,000 to date, National Treasure's next start has yet to be determined.

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History Astride As Pegasus Card Promises Once Again To Slay Graded Weekend

Named for the owner, an immigrant from Scotland who realized a Carnegie-kind of American Dream, it began as a 12-furlong turf race. Five years later in 1964 it was cut back to nine and moved to the dirt.

The roll call of Donn H. winners through 2016 at Gulfstream Park reflects a roster of unique equine and human personalities, which is peppered with some magnificent performances that shouldn't be forgotten.

Hall of Fame jockey Braulio Baeza won his first of three victories in 1969 aboard Funny Fellow and took home his last Donn with Foolish Pleasure in 1976.

One of the greats, Forego, captured the 1974 race. There was Deputy Minister in 1983. The legendary Cigar grabbed back-to-back races starting in 1995 for a trainer with the last name of Mott, who is still collecting accolades and giving sound speeches without notes.

And who could forget the haul by Todd Pletcher with his first Donn win in 2003 which was authored by Harlan's Holiday.

Speaking of sires, futures breeding shed stars like Medaglia d'Oro, Quality Road and Constitution, all got their picture taken after winning the Donn.

As we know, the race was renamed and its history placed on a dusty shelf. Instead of drawing from the near and visceral past, it was time to extract strength from a famous mythological winged horse slaying a dragon. Second in size stateside to only the Statue of Liberty, the completed 2014 edifice ominously guards the entrance of Gulfstream, presides over the Donn's demise and welcomes those attending Pegasus World Cup Day.

On Saturday, another edition arrives as the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. anchors a card which sports six other graded events. Looking to join the likes of Arrogate (who won the first Pegasus), Gun Runner and Life Is Good, are a dozen suitors and an also-eligible.

National Treasure schooling | Lauren King

Out of these, National Treasure (Quality Road) is the clear class leader. The Bob Baffert trainee won last year's GI Preakness S. and ended his 3-year-old campaign as the runner-up in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to newly-minted Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin).

One of National Treasure's primary rivals, who is drawn right next to him, is Godolphin homebred GSW First Mission (Street Sense). Trained by Brad Cox, the dark bay missed last year's Triple Crown, but he has the potential to be a major player within the 2024 Classic division.

“It couldn't have gone better so far,” said Cox assistant Trace Messina. “He shipped in here early Tuesday morning and had a good gallop over the track Wednesday and another good gallop Thursday.”

First Mission was second in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs last November. Both the winner of that race, Trademark (Upstart), and the third-place finisher, Il Miracolo (Gun Runner), also received a Pegasus invite.

Il Miracolo's trainer Antonio Sano said, “The horse has been doing very well after the [last] race. Right now, the horse is very excited and in good condition. He worked two times with [jockey Javier] Castellano and I hope to run well. I think there are four horses that show speed in the race. I hope we can find room behind the speed for the horse to close.”

As for the rest of the field, it includes Mineshaft's own GISW Hoist the Gold and MGSW Senor Buscador (who ran first and second in the GI Cigar Mile), plus the Iavarone's MGSW O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) and that 7-year-old's Saffie Joseph stablemate MGSW Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator).

The Undercard Takes to the Turf

The rest of the Gulfstream slate has an intriguing lineup. In the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S., trainer Aidan O'Brien sends GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf runner-up Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) back to America. Since missing by a neck to newly-crowned champion female turf horse Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the filly was third in the G1 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin in mid-December.

Warm Heart workout | Ryan Thompson

Last year's winner, Atone (Into Mischief) returns, along with the undefeated MGSW Integration (Quality Road), who picks up rider Tyler Gaffallione for Kendrick Carmouche.

West Point Thoroughbreds executive vice president Tom Bellhouse said about Integration's development, “He's as exciting a horse as we've had. He's just a super exciting horse. It took him a while to really get rolling and find his stride. If you look back, he had a lot of works and a lot of base. Shug [McGaughey] was always, 'I like this horse.' He's rewarded all the confidence Shug had in him. To win the race at Colonial [Downs] first time out and to come back a little less than four weeks later and win the Virginia Derby the way he did, it was spectacular. I was lucky enough to be at Aqueduct for the Hill Prince S. and it was one of those races that was never in doubt. It was really an amazing performance.”

A trio of graded turf races help to round out the Pegasus Day card. First among them is the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which moved up a spot to become a Grade II race. Star Fortress (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the market leader at 5-2 here, made her U.S. debut a winning one by 10 lengths for trainer Cherie DeVaux in the GIII Cardinal S. at Churchill Downs last November. Chief among her rivals will be veteran 6-year-olds like GISW Queen Goddess (Empire Maker), MGSW/MGISP Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}) and MGSW/GISP Didia (Arg) (Orpen).

As an ode to the Donn's origins, also on the docket are a pair of grass distance tests at 12 furlongs–the GIII La Prevoyante S. and the GIII W.L. McKnight S.

Graded dirt races do make an appearance with the GII Inside Information S. for older females at seven furlongs, which is led by local favorite GSW/GISP Maryquitecontrary (First Dude). Also, older males traveling a mile in the GIII Fred Hopper S. will look to challenge morning-line favorite Hejazi (Bernardini), who was the runner-up in the GI Malibu S.

Heading West

Finally, the graded train also makes Saturday stops at Sam Houston Race Park and Santa Anita Park. H-Town hosts the GIII Ladies Houston Classic S. and the GIII John B. Connally Turf Cup, while the 'Great Race Place' has its own nine-furlong test on the dirt in the GII San Pasqual S.

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Saffie Joseph-Trained Invitees Breeze for Pegasus World Cup

Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) and O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman), multiple graded stakes winners trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., breezed at Gulfstream Park Saturday morning in preparation for scheduled starts in the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 27.

Skippylongstocking and O'Connor were joined on the worktab at Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility by Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), who is on the reserve invitational list for the Pegasus World Cup.

Skippylongstocking breezed a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.25 (1/21) ahead of his first start since finishing third in the Nov. 4 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.

O'Connor, who is coming off back-to-back graded-stakes victories in the GII Hagyard Fayette S. at Keeneland Oct. 28 and GIII Harlan's Holiday S. at Gulfstream Dec. 30, breezed a half mile in :50.35 (112/170).

Joseph said that Skippylongstocking and O'Connor have given him reason to expect them to improve on seventh- and 11th-place finishes, respectively, in last year's running.

“They're both doing well. They've both have become more consistent. O'Connor has rattled off two wins and overcame adversity, so you like to see that,” Joseph said. “Skippy used to be a horse that gave you one good one and one bad one, but he's been consistent the last four races.”

Ny Traffic, who finished third behind O'Connor in the Harlan's Holiday, breezed three furlongs in :36.45 (5/61) at Palm Meadows.

At Fair Grounds, 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) breezed five furlongs in 1:00 (1/51) to produce his second straight bullet workout in preparation for the Pegasus World Cup. The Brad Cox trainee, who won the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland last year, was nosed by Pegasus Invitee Trademark (Upstart) in the Nov. 24 GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs.

At Palm Beach Downs, 2022 GII Suburban S. winner Dynamic One (Union Rags) (five furlongs in :59.31) and narrow Harlan's Holiday runner-up Grand Aspen (Dialed In) (half mile in :48.40), who are on the invitational list for the Pegasus, breezed for the Pegasus World Cup.

“We worked pretty much everything. I thought overall it was a good morning. We had some good works,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Everybody seemed to have done what we hoped, so right now we're right on schedule.”

Top West Coast older horses Dirt Mile runner-up National Treasure (Quality Road) (five furlongs in a bullet :59.60) and GII San Antonio S. winner Newgrange (Violence) each worked Saturday at Santa Anita towards potential starts in the Pegasus World Cup as well.

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