GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational | Horse Racing Free Tips

Skippylongstocking Preps For Pegasus With Win In Harlan’s Holiday

As the 3-year-olds line up to duke it out for next season's older- horse honors, Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) proved he's rounding back into form at just the right time when taking GII Harlan's Holiday S., the local prep for next year's GI Pegasus World Cup.

A consistent presence on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year, Skippylongstocking was always right there in the year's biggest races–third to Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in both the GII Wood Memorial S. and the GI Belmont S. and fifth behind Early Voting (Gun Runner) in the GI Preakness S. A career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure saw him take the win in the GIII West Virginia Derby Aug. 6 before he tossed in a clunker in his most recent start, checking in 15 1/2 lengths behind Taiba (Gun Runner) in the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 24.

Racing amongst familiar rivals in Simplification (Not This Time) and fellow Triple Crown contender Pioneer of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile), Skippylongstocking came in just the 3-1 third choice as heralded stablemate and Chilean bred O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) took the favorite honors. Pace-setting duty went to Pioneer of Medina who was happy to lead the field through fractions of :23.75 and :47.14 before losing the front to Skippylongstocking, who was never further back than second while racing in the clear on the outside. Simplification looked to go by Pioneer of Medina for the placing as Skippylongstocking was home free, but was denied and had to settle for third as O'Connor faded to fourth.

“It was a game effort by Skippy,” said winning trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., also the trainer of O'Connor. “He's a horse that tries and he runs hard. O'Connor disappointed–he's better than that. He's much, much better than that. Seeing how the race unfolded and the speed kept going around, maybe that was it, but I can't really buy that. He made up ground and hit a flat spot. Hopefully, he comes out well, and we'd like to give him a chance in the [GI] Pegasus also.”

Pedigree Notes:

The third winner from as many to race for his dam, Skippylongstocking is the leading money earner for his sire. Twinkling produced a yearling filly by Take Charge Indy and a weanling filly by Maclean's music before visiting GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic for 2023.

Saturday, Gulfstream
HARLAN'S HOLIDAY S.-GIII, $150,000, Gulfstream, 12-31, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:42.76, ft.
1–SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING, 123, c, 3, by Exaggerator
                1st Dam: Twinkling, by War Chant
                2nd Dam: Unhurried, by Out of Place
                3rd Dam: Laughing Erin, by Irish Castle
($15,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $37,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Daniel
Alonso; B-Brushy Hill, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Irad
Ortiz, Jr. $90,210. Lifetime Record: GISP, 14-4-1-3, $777,810.
*1/2 to Olivia Twist (Mshawish), SW, $100,149; Moonlite
Strike (Liam's Map), SW & GSP, $172,735. Werk Nick Rating:
A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pioneer of Medina, 118, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Lights of
Medina, by Eskendereya. ($485,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Sumaya U.S. Stable; B-International Equities Holding, Inc.
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $29,100.
3–Simplification, 120, c, 3, Not This Time–Simply Confection,
by Candy Ride (Arg). ($50,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV). O-Tami
Bobo; B-France & Irwin J. Weiner (FL); T-Antonio Sano.
$14,550.
Margins: 2, NK, 2. Odds: 3.20, 12.20, 2.40.
Also Ran: O'Connor (Chi), South Bend, Strike Hard, Cooke Creek, Clapton.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Pletcher, Ortiz Soar on Pegasus Day

HALLANDALE, FL–Heading into Saturday's Pegasus World Cup card at Gulfstream, it wasn't much of a stretch to think that trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. could walk away the winners of both Pegasus features of the afternoon. However, considering the obstacles facing them, one had to concede that it might be a bit too tall of an order. The GI Pegasus World Cup Turf contender Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) was coming off a massive layoff, 239 days to be exact, and Life Is Good (Into Mischief), while freakishly fast and seemingly yet to reach his full potential, had to face the likes of likely Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) in the day's feature, the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Throw into the mix that Ortiz could still see a knee fracture sustained Jan. 7 in the rearview mirror, forcing him to the sidelines for three weeks and putting him woefully close to missing the big day altogether. However, on the big day, 'The Colonel' put it all together to defend his title, while Life Is Good put on a performance that left spectators as wowed as his Breeders' Cup win last fall. And as WinStar Farm's Kenny Troutt, who campaigns Life Is Good with China Horse Club, accurately pointed out during the post-race press conference, there must have been a higher force at play, allowing the stars to align on the big day.

“It's just been a blessing,” said Trout. “God has really, really helped us. This horse here has just been really special…This horse is really one of the best horses we've ever had. He's just got all the talent there is.”

Keeping to the theme, Ortiz added, “Thank God, first of all. Thank God for my health. Also, a couple doctors told me I could make it. My friend Dr. Rafael Lopez told me to stay positive and told me I could do it.”

Sent off the slight favorite over Knicks Go, Life Is Good rushed out to take the lead despite an awkward step out of stall 4. And he wasn't taking 'no' for an answer, quickly spurting off to an uncontested quarter in :23.12 as Knicks Go was content to survey the affair from a second, several lengths behind. Still cruising up front following a :46.35 half mile, the powerful bay was given a couple of jiggles of encouragement approaching the quarter pole. Drifting out well wide turning into the homestretch as his rivals pursued in vain, the 4-year-old showed what all the pre-race hype was about, crossing the a geared-down 3 1/4-lengths ahead of Knicks Go, who finished a length ahead of Stiletto Boy (Shackleford). Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro) was fourth and GI Belmont S. winner Sir Winston (Awesome Again) was fifth.

“We were committed to letting him run his race,” said Pletcher, who named the G1 Dubai World Cup in March as Life is Good's likely next target. “You know Knicks Go is a fast horse. We didn't know for sure how it was going to play out. There was the potential for a speed duel there. He broke and I didn't think his first step was great, but he recovered pretty quickly and got to the turn in good shape. Knicks Go maybe didn't bounce away as quick as he does sometimes, so we kind of had the advantage at that point.”

Added Ortiz, “I respect [Knicks Go] a lot. I thought it was going to be a match race. But going into the first turn, my horse was so fast, so I just let him do his thing. He went to the first turn a little fast. I never thought I would be in front like that. When I looked around, I didn't see anybody. Todd told me to use my judgement. He relaxed so well, and I couldn't wait to let him run. He was going fast, but he was doing it the right way.”

Commenting on his ride aboard last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Joel Rosario said, “I thought the trip would be fine. We thought maybe we'd be on the lead. I thought Life Is Good probably had a little more speed than me. He ran his race. They came over a little bit on the first turn, so I had to kind of just take him outside a little bit and let him relax from there, and hopefully, at some point, the horse would come back a little bit But he didn't come back. He just kept going.”

Brad Cox added, “The plan was definitely to go. I wanted to– we just got outrun. I talked to Joel and he said he handled the track fine. He said a couple on his outside were moving along pretty good and it kind of got a little tight [early], so he took him back off of it a little bit and obviously, the winner was just galloping on the lead.”

Cox continued, “He's been super good to us. We're proud of him and we're happy and excited that he's retiring sound and healthy and I look forward to training some of his babies in a couple of years. He's six; it's time for him to go off to stud. Hopefully, he'll pass on his heart and determination and be a good sire.”

Purchased for $525,000 by China Horse Club and WinStar Farm at the Keeneland September Sale, Life Is Good kicked off his career with Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and his talent became clear early. He stamped himself an exciting GI Kentucky Derby prospect with a TDN Rising Star-earning performance when scoring by 9 1/2 length at Del Mar in the fall of 2020. The following spring, he annexed the GIII Sham S. and GII San Felipe S.-besting subsequent Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protanico) in both those starts.

Life is Good was knocked off the Derby trail–and forced to miss the entire Triple Crown series–after a chip was discovered in his left hind ankle after a breeze in preparation for the GI Santa Anita Derby. The chip was minor, but required surgery and time off.

Transferred to Pletcher thereafter, the bay was narrowly beaten by Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga before taking on his elders for the first time and coming out much the best in the Sept. 25 GII Kelso H. at Belmont. All of those performances appeared to be an appetizer for what was to come next. The well-backed favorite in the GI Big Ass Fans GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar Nov. 6, the Gary and Mary West-bred colt rolled home a scintillating 5 3/4-length winner.

Added Pletcher, “I don't want to get in trouble with any other owners I have trained for, [but] I can't think of one that is better than him. What makes him so special is his ability to run fast, the high cruising speed and [then] keep going. He's just got tremendous mechanics. Just a phenomenal talent.”

Pedigree Notes:
North America's leading sire of 2021 combined with North America's leading broodmare sire of 2021–what's not to like? Life Is Good is a product of the oldest formula in the books: breeding the best to the best and hoping for the best. He is one of Into Mischief's 45 graded winners and 106 black-type winners, as well as one of the 119 stakes winners out of Distorted Humor's daughters. MGISW Practical Joke, MGSW Fulsome, and four other listed winners all follow the identical formula of Into Mischief over Distorted Humor, as do another four graded-placed winners.

Beach Walk has a 2-year-old filly by Blame, a yearling colt by Candy Ride (Arg), and was bred back to Into Mischief. She traces directly to French and American blue hen Frizette (Hamburg), her 11th dam, whose descendants include leading French sire of yesteryear Tourbillon (Fr) and leading American sires of more recent decades, including Mr. Prospector and Seattle Slew.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
PEGASUS WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL S. PRESENTED BY 1/ST BET-GI, $2,941,500, Gulfstream, 1-29, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:48.91, ft.
1–LIFE IS GOOD, 123, c, 4, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor
                2nd Dam: Bonnie Blue Flag, by Mineshaft
                3rd Dam: Tap Your Feet, by Dixieland Band
'TDN Rising Star' ($525,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-CHC Inc. &
WinStar Farm LLC; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $1,755,000. Lifetime
Record: 7-6-1-0, $2,814,200. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Knicks Go, 123, h, 6, Paynter–Kosmo's Buddy, by Outflanker.
($40,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; $87,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Korea
Racing Authority; B-Angie Moore (MD); T-Brad H. Cox.
$585,000.
3–Stilleto Boy, 123, g, 4, Shackleford–Rosie's Ransom, by
Marquetry. ($420,000 3yo '21 FTKHRA). O-Steve Moger;
B-John & Iveta Kerber (KY); T-Ed Moger, Jr. $292,500.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1, 4 3/4. Odds: 0.80, 0.90, 26.50.
Also Ran: Endorsed, Sir Winston, Chess Chief, Commandeer, Title Ready, Empty Tomb. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Titans Square off in Pegasus World Cup

When a racetrack musters a $3-million purse for a featured event, the hope is that racing's stars will attend the big dance. And this year's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. certainly succeeded in attracting two of the biggest names–Knicks Go (Paynter) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief)–in the American handicap division.

Knicks Go, a 2 3/4-length winner in last year's Pegasus World Cup, finished fourth in the G1 Saudi Cup and GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. before reeling off four-straight wins, including the GI Whitney S. and in his latest race, the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6. Knicks Go was named the 2021 Longines World' Best Racehorse during a virtual ceremony at the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, England Tuesday.

“The Breeders' Cup Classic was his biggest race he's had to date,” said trainer Brad Cox. “He's going to go to Taylor Made after the Pegasus to become a stallion. After the Classic, we had decided if he came out of the race in good order, which he did, we would pursue the Pegasus. He has trained as well as he did going into the Classic.”

He continued, “After the [Saudi Cup] last year, he was fresh and came back and didn't run as well as we had hoped in the Met Mile. Personally, I think that had a lot to do with that race being around one turn. He has not had a lot of time off, and that's very similar to what we did with the [2020 GI Breeders' Cup] Dirt Mile and last year's Pegasus. So, we have pretty much kept him on the same routine. He went over to Taylor Made for three to four days to be shown to potential breeders and was shown on a shank. Aside from that, he's been training the whole time. He's been doing well, his weight is great and his attitude is good. And he's been training great and his works have been phenomenal.”

The striking grey was installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine older horses after drawing the one hole Tuesday. Joel Rosario has the call.

“We're not really going to deviate from what we've done in the past,” affirmed Cox. “[Life Is Good] is a very fast, brilliant horse. We're not going to let him have his own way, and I think he's probably not going to let us have our own way. We're going to break running, hopefully, get to the lead. We're going to be very aggressive to get him there.”

He added, “It's the same approach we took in the Breeders' Cup. We'll see how it goes. He's proven at a mile and an eighth and he does like the surface there. He likes the configuration of the racetrack there at Gulfstream–he proved that last year. We're just going to come out of there running and see what happens.”

China Horse Club and WinStar Farm are represented by Life Is Good, who has done very little wrong in his career, winning four of five graded attempts, including a tour-de-force victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November. Under the guidance of Bob Baffert, the powerful bay became a 'TDN Rising Star' with a 9 1/2-length score at Del Mar in the fall of 2020 before returning the following spring to annex the GIII Sham S. and GII San Felipe S.–defeating subsequent GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protanico) on both of those occasions.

“He came to us with high expectations, and he had a great resume,” said trainer Todd Pletcher of Life Is Good's arrival. “Initially, we were just getting to know him and see how he trains. He trained exceptionally well, so we had high hopes for him.”

After joining the Pletcher string, the $525,000 KEESEP yearling graduate came up a neck short to Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga. With Irad Ortiz Jr. taking over riding duties for the Sept. 25 GII Kelso H. at Belmont, the sophomore drubbed older rivals for the first time to win by 5 1/2 lengths and came back with an even more sparkling performance when winning for fun on Breeders' Cup Day.

“We were unlucky in the Allen Jerkens to be beaten that day, but we mapped out a course at that point and we felt like the Dirt Mile was the correct race for him,” explained Pletcher. “The Kelso seemed like a good race to bridge the gap between the Jerkens and the Dirt Mile and I worked out well for him. Since that, we've been focused on this race. And we're going great.

“Knicks Go is a very fast horse. We know that. But we're not going to alter our style of running. And we're not going to take away his strength, which is his high-cruising speed. I honestly don't know for sure what's going to happen, at least in the first quarter or half, because you are going to have two horses that are looking for the same kind of trip.”

Hoping to pick up the pieces should a speed duel develop up front, 2019 GI Belmont S. victor Sir Winston (Awesome Again) enters the fray off a win in Woodbine's 12-furlong GIII Valedictory S. Dec. 5. Edwin Gonzalez gets the mount for trainer Mark Casse. Also likely to settle just off the pace and hope for a meltdown up front, Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) has hit the board in five of seven stakes races in 2021, including a win in the Iowa Derby and a second in the GI Awesome Again S. He was last seen finishing third in the seven-furlong GI Malibu S. Dec. 26.

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Quality on TAP on Pegasus Day

One can always count on Todd Pletcher to make a show of force on the big days. This Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational card is no different, with the Hall of Fame trainer offering strong representation in all three of Gulfstream's Pegasus events.

“It's a really marquee day for the Championship Meet at Gulfstream,” Pletcher said. “The Pegasus has attracted some of the best horses in training since it's been in existence. It's early enough in the season for horses that want to go to stud like Gun Runner did and Knicks Go is doing, and its useful in kicking off the upcoming season. It's a significant event that has etched out its spot on the calendar.”

Looking for his first GI Pegasus World Cup victory, Pletcher offers the uber-talented 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who has done very little wrong in his career, winning five of six career starts, with his only loss coming at the hands of Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga last summer.

Following his narrow defeat, the WinStar Farm and CHC LLC runner has proven unstoppable, rolling over older rivals in both the GII Kelso H. followed by the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November.

“The Breeders' Cup was kind of a relief for me because I was expecting him to win,” conceded Pletcher. “Any time you are in that type of situation, you can be a little anxious. But, we knew he'd go fast. There were a few other fast horses in there, so he had to go pretty quickly into the first turn to clear, so when they're throwing up those kinds of fractions, you're just hoping he hasn't gone too fast. But, he's such a gifted horse that he's capable of doing that. Like everyone else, we were very impressed, and we were happy it went according to plan.”

When asked if he thought the strapping 4-year-old could handle the extra yardage while trying nine furlongs for the first time in his career, Pletcher didn't mince words.

“I don't know that we have seen his best distance,” he stated. “He is like a lot of really good horses that do a lot of things very well. He's shown how fast he is. And in the [BC Dirt Mile] he has shown that he has that high-cruising speed and the ability to carry it over a distance. So, in his training, I have not seen any limitations to what he may be able to do. He still has to prove that at [Gulfstream], but when you watch him train, he never stops. It gives us optimism that he'll handle the extra ground.”

According to Pletcher, a win on Saturday could pave the way to an international sojourn.

“If this goes well, the plan is to take a look at the [10-furlong G1] Dubai World Cup [Mar. 26].”

Arguably known best for his powerful arsenal of dirt horses, Pletcher shows he is equally adept at handling a top turf runner, and gets to prove it yet again with the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational's defending champion and morning-line favorite Colonel Liam (Liam's Map). Campaigned by Robert and Lawana Low, the grey won four stakes in 2021, including the GI Turf Classic–albeit in a dead heat–at Churchill Downs last spring. He went to the sidelines after an eighth-place finish in the 10-furlong GI Manhattan S. June 5.

“Last year, we had just a little bit more time and we were able to run him in the Tropical Park Derby,” said Pletcher, explaining the lead up to last year's race. “He won that and it set him up nicely for this race. This year, the way the calendar came up, we just didn't have time for a prep. But, he's a willing work horse and we've done plenty with him.”

In this year's Turf, Pletcher is also represented by Repole Stable's Never Surprised (Constitution), who has never finished worse than second in seven career starts. The 7-2 second choice on the morning line, the bay enters this year's Turf off a pair of impressive victories–in the Nov. 26 Gio Ponti S. at the Big A and most recently in the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream one month later. He drew post 12 in the nine-furlong event.

“He's a free-running horse with natural speed,” said Pletcher. “It's not an ideal post for him, given his style. But, if he'll settle like he did the last time, I think he's a horse that could be dangerous.”

Also likely to garner healthy respect at the windows for the inaugural running of the PWC Filly and Mare Turf, the Low's Sweet Melania (American Pharoah) has already proven she was more than capable of handling several of these rivals when winning Gulfstream's GIII Suwanee River S. Dec. 18. Left in her wake that day were Shifty She (Gone Astray, 2nd), In a Hurry (Blame, 3rd) and Alms (City Zip, 7th).

“I was really pleased with her last race, I thought that was one of her better races,” he said. “She's been very consistent throughout her career, but I thought that was an especially good performance from her. I actually think she's coming into this a little better than she was for that race.”

On the Pegasus undercard, Pletcher also offers a one-two punch in the GIII Fred W. Hooper S. with Fearless (Ghostzapper) and Liam (Liam's Map). Fearless, who has won four of five starts at Gulfstream, is coming off a four-length score in the GIII Harlan's Holiday S. after finishing second in a Nov. 21 overnight handicap at Gulfstream while coming off a six-month layoff. Liam returned off over a year on the bench to win in a Gulfstream optional claimer at a mile Dec. 15.

“He's a horse that I think kind of benefitted from the race off the layoff and then made a move forward in the Harlan's Holiday,” Pletcher said of Fearless, who was initially being considered for the PWC. “He seems to really like Gulfstream. He always runs well over that track. He's held form since then and has been training sharply.”

In other stakes action, Pletcher is also represented by Always Shopping (Awesome Again) in the GIII La Prevoyante S.; Abaan (Will Take Charge) in the GIII W. L. McKnight S. and A G Indy (Take Charge Indy) in the GII Inside Information S.

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