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Equibase Analysis: Knicks Go Likely To Play ‘Come Catch Me’ In Pegasus World Cup

The Grade 1, $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes is the biggest jewel on the crown of fantastic stakes races at Gulfstream Park this weekend in Hallandale Beach, Fla., bringing together a stellar field of 12. Leading the field in recent accomplishments is Knicks Go, last seen winning the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in the eye-opening time of 1:33.85.

Knicks Go has a running style in which he goes to the front and dares anyone to take him on in the early stages, so we know where he will be as soon as the gate opens in the Pegasus.

Code of Honor is an accomplished runner best known for winning the G1 Travers Stakes as a 3-year-old in 2019. Entering the race off a runner-up finish in the G1 Clark Stakes at the end of November, Code of Honor must be respected. Math Wizard earned his biggest win at the distance when taking the G1 Pennsylvania Derby as a 3-year-old in 2019 but is winless in seven races since.

Then there are a number of horses not yet proven capable of winning at the G1 level but who are in exceptional form. Sleepy Eyes Todd is one of those, having won the G2 Charles Town Classic at the distance in August of last year and most recently victorious over the track in the G3 Mr. Prospector Stakes.

Similarly, Last Judgment won the Sunshine Classic Stakes just one week ago at the distance and at Gulfstream Park. Harpers First Ride has won four of his last five including the G3 Pimlico Special in October and the Native Dancer Stakes at the end of 2020.

Mr Freeze finished second in the 2019 Pegasus and last fall won the G2 Fayette Stakes at the distance. Another strong contender is Jesus' Team, who closed from seventh to second behind Knicks Go in the Dirt Mile and who recently won the Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Tax enters the Pegasus World Cup off a win in the G3 Harlan's Holiday Stakes over the track last month. Similar to Code of Honor and Math Wizard he was a top 3-year-old in 2019, including a win in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes. Kiss Today Goodbye earned the biggest win of his career last month in the G2 San Antonio Stakes and is yet another potentially on the brink of breaking through to this top level.

Independence Hall was a strong 2-year-old in the fall of 2019 and as a 3-year-old in the winter of 2020, winning the Jerome Stakes and finishing second in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes before taking time off. He most recently finished fifth in the G1 Malibu Stakes. Coastal Defense rounds out the field, coming into the race off a pair of non-threatening fourth place finishes in stakes.

Win contenders:
Knicks Go changed trainers to start his 2020 campaign, moving to the barn of Brad Cox, and went three-for-three last year, culminating with a career best 120 Equibase Speed Figure when winning the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in wire-to-wire fashion. He had lost 10 races in a row before the first of his 2020 wins, but the turnaround was not out of the clouds as Knicks Go had been a top 2-year-old in 2018, winning the G1 Breeders' Futurity with the same running style as all three wins last year. Improving from a 104 figure effort in February of last year, to 116 then to the 120 in the Breeders' Cup, and coming back off a 2 1/2-month rest it is highly likely Knicks Go will be fresh and able to easily establish the early lead he likes.

Horses which try to take on a front runner of his nature will likely find their chances compromised, and that makes Knicks Go the one to beat in this year's Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Furthermore, he's been working out steadily (every six to seven days) for his comeback and although he has never run the mile and one-eighth distance of the Pegasus, Knicks Go has the breeding to succeed at the trip as a son of Paynter, who finished second in the 2012 Belmont Stakes at the distance of 1 1/2 miles.

Last Judgment, Harpers First Ride and Sleepy Eyes Todd all must be considered contenders to win the Pegasus World Cup, although they have less probability to win than Knicks Go based on the likely pace scenario in this race in which Knicks Go controls the tempo from the start. Nevertheless, with all three likely to go to post at high odds, I would not hesitate to bet them.

I'll start with Last Judgment, who has won six of 14 races including his only try at the distance of this race. That win came in his most recent start just seven days ago when dominating in the Sunshine Classic Stakes by six lengths. That effort tied his career best 107 figure and he has won while racing on the lead or from off the pace so he could be finishing very well in this race.

Harpers First Ride is another horse who knows where the finish line is, having won 10 of 17 career starts. First or second in his last six races, including the Pimlico Special last fall at the distance of 1 3/16 miles, Harpers First Ride earned a career best 109 figure in winning the Native Dancer Stakes in his most recent race.

Sleepy Eyes Todd earned the biggest win of his career in the Charles Town Classic Stakes last August at the distance of the Pegasus. He ran poorly when shipped to California for the Awesome Again Stakes the next month but has won both starts since then, including the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream. The 119 figure earned in the Charles Town Classic was a career best and the highest figure of any horse other than Knicks Go (120 in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile) has ever earned, so if he can repeat that effort Sleepy Eyes Todd could give Knicks Go a run for the winner's share of this $3 million purse.

The rest of the field, all who have the ability to compete effectively in this race, with their best Equibase Speed Figures, is Coastal Defense (108), Code of Honor (109), Jesus' Team (114), Kiss Today Goodbye (105), Independence Hall (108), Kiss Today Goodbye (107), Mr Freeze (106) and Math Wizard (107).

Win Contenders, in preference order:
Knicks Go
Last Judgment
Harpers First Ride
Sleepy Eyes Todd

Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes – Grade 1
Race 12 at Gulfstream Park
Saturday, January 23 – Post Time 5:44 PM E.T.
1 1/8 Miles
Four Years Olds and Upward
Purse: $3 Million

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Pegasus: Pairing With Harpers First Ride Is A ‘Dream Come True’ For Jockey Angel Cruz

After taking care of business at home, jockey Angel Cruz will head south to take part in the biggest race of his life.

Cruz, 25, is named on four horses when live racing returns Friday to Laurel Park – You Are Awesome in Race 3 and Seattle Ric in Race 9 for trainer Jerry Robb, Dream Happy in Race 5 for trainer Donald Barr, and Golden G in Race 8 for trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon.

Following the races, the Puerto Rico native and finalist for the 2014 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice will board a plane headed for Hallandale Beach, Fla., where he is named aboard Harpers First Ride in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

“I'm so happy. It's going to be my first time riding in a big race like this, like a big, known race,” Cruz said. “I've won big races, but this is going to be my biggest one. It's a $3 million race. I'm going to be riding against the top riders, and it's a dream come true.”

Cruz has ridden 5-year-old gelding Harpers First Ride in seven of his 17 lifetime starts including each of the last five, with five wins and a second. Four of the wins have come in stakes, led by the historic Pimlico Special (G3) Oct. 3 on the undercard of the 145th Preakness Stakes (G1).

Together, Cruz and Harpers First Ride have also won the Deputed Testamony, Richard W. Small and Native Dancer, the latter at the World Cup's 1 1/8-mile distance. Trained by Laurel-based Claudio Gonzalez, Harpers First Ride was bred in Maryland by Sagamore Farm.

“I love Harper. I have a lot of confidence in him, and he does in me,” Cruz said. “And Claudio, he has him ready. We're going ready to the Pegasus.”

Of his 538 career wins, three have come in graded-stakes. Besides Harpers First Ride, he won the Alcibiades (G1) with Dancing Rags and Sycamore (G3) with Renown in 2016 at Keeneland. Their respective trainers, Graham Motion and Elizabeth Voss, are both based in Maryland.

Cruz grew up in Puerto Rico with Eclipse Award-winning brothers Irad Ortiz Jr. and Jose Ortiz, coming to the U.S. at the age of 11. He won his first race on April 8, 2014 at Charles Town and also spent time riding in California and New York, where he captured Aqueduct's 2015 spring title.

Overall, Cruz ranked fifth with 64 wins at Maryland tracks in 2020. His uncle, Joel Hiraldo, and grandfather, Jose Hiraldo, were both jockeys, and his cousin, 19-year-old John Hiraldo, is currently a 10-pound apprentice at Laurel. Cruz is represented by agent Paul Plymire.

Harpers First Ride drew Post 8 in a field of 12 for the Pegasus World Cup, where he is listed at 10-1 on the morning line behind multiple Grade 1-winning favorite Knicks Go (5-2), another Maryland-bred. Harpers First Ride arrived at Gulfstream Jan. 11 and had a half-mile breeze over the main track Jan. 16. Gonzalez has been in Florida since Jan. 13.

“I think he'll love the weather. In the summer, when I first started riding him, he loved the weather,” Cruz said. “Gulfstream is a fast track. I think he's going to like it because there will be a lot of speed and it's going to play out for him, I think. Knicks Go and a couple of other horses have speed and I think Harpers is going to do really well over there. Claudio's going to have him ready. He'll be a good fit for that race.”

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‘He Surprises Me Every Day’: Maryland-Bred Harpers First Ride Headed To Pegasus World Cup

MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride, a four-time stakes winner in 2020 including the historic Pimlico Special (G3), is set to launch his 5-year-old season in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) Saturday, Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park.

Based at Laurel Park with trainer Claudio Gonzalez, Harpers First Ride was among the invitees to the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus for 4-year-olds and up, being held for the fifth consecutive year. Also on the list is another Maryland-bred, 2020 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Knicks Go.

Harpers First Ride ended 2020 with back-to-back stakes victories at Laurel in the 1 1/16-mile Richard W. Small Nov. 28 and 1 1/8-mile Native Dancer Dec. 26.

“He came back really good after the last race, that's why we try to go to the Pegasus,” Gonzalez said. “It's a big race. It all depends. If he continues like how he's doing, we're going to go.”

The Pegasus will be the third time in graded-stakes company and first against Grade 1 competition for Harpers First Ride, who Gonzalez claimed for $30,000 out of a Sept. 14, 2019 win at Churchill Downs.

“The first time he ran over there he ran good, and he was a Maryland-bred. Why not bring him here?” Gonzalez said of the reason behind claiming the gelded son of Grade 1 winner Paynter. “What's he doing over there? So, we decide to claim the horse.”

Harpers First Ride won seven of 11 races in 2020 with two seconds, one third and $495,623 in purse earnings, growing his career bankroll to $573,055. He won the 1 1/16-mile Deputed Testamony Sept. 5 at Laurel as a prep for the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special, where he dueled up front with favored Owendale to win by two lengths.

“He surprises me every day. Every day he goes better,” Gonzalez said. “He comes back from the races like nothing. He's easy to train. He's a classy horse. He does everything right.”

Gonzalez said the plans call for Harpers First Ride to breeze at Gulfstream and have regular rider Angel Cruz aboard for the Pegasus. Cruz has been up for each of Harpers First Ride's last five wins and all four stakes.

“He knows the horse really good. And for me it's better that he rides, and I think that he will,” Gonzalez said. “The plan is to go 10 days before the race to give him a breeze over there and let him get to know the racetrack and get used to the weather change. Here it's cold and over there it's going to be hot. That's why we plan that. It gives him a couple of days to adjust.”

Claimed by Gonzalez for $30,000 out of a Sept. 14, 2019 win at Churchill Downs, MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride won for the seventh time in 11 starts in 2020, four of those wins coming in stakes – the Deputed Testamony, Richard W. Small and Native Dancer at Laurel and Pimlico Special at Pimlico Race Course.

A gelded 4-year-old son of Grade 1 winner Paynter, Harpers First Ride has earned $495,623 this year, growing his career bankroll to $573,055. He will figure in the conversation for Maryland-bred Horse of the Year along with Knicks Go, who went three-for-three in the Midwest this year topped by a victory in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

“The horse surprises me every race he runs. Every race he runs better and better. He walked today and he walked like he knows he won. It's really good when you see that,” Gonzalez said. “He won four stakes, he won the Pimlico Special, and all the stakes he won he won good. It's the first time I've had a horse like that. With Harpers, every day is special. From the day we claimed him, he started doing good.”

Among the early 2021 stakes for 4-year-olds and up going a route of ground at Laurel are the $75,000 Jennings for Maryland-bred/sired horses at one mile Jan. 16, the $100,000 John B. Campbell at about 1 1/16 miles Feb. 13 and $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial at 1 1/8 miles March 13. Gonzalez said the connections will keep all their options open for the soon-to-be 5-year-old.

“He proved that he won his races easy and maybe he has to take the next step and race with the big guys and see how he does,” he said.

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Mucho Gusto, Charlatan Top Pegasus World Cup Invitation List

Bob Baffert-trained Mucho Gusto and Charlatan are among a dozen Grade 1 and Grade 2 winners on a list of 16 horses invited Sunday to the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The fifth running of the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus, won previously by Longines World's Best Racehorse Arrogate (2017), Horse of the Year Gun Runner (2018), Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner City of Light and Mucho Gusto (2020), will be run Saturday, Jan. 23, along with the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1).

Limited seating is available and tickets can be purchased at Pegasusworldcup.com.

Fans can watch and wager on the Pegasus World Cup at 1stbet.com and xpressbet.com.

The Pegasus World Cup and Pegasus World Cup Turf will be part of an extraordinary program featuring seven graded stakes, four contested on the turf. Stakes on Pegasus Day will also include the $200,000 Inside Information (G2), $125,000 William L. McKnight (G3), $125,000 Marshua's River (G3), $125,000 La Prevoyante (G3) and $125,000 Fred Hooper (G3).

The 12 horses given first preference for the Pegasus World Cup were (in alphabetical order):

Charlatan – Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Frederick Hertrich III, John Fielding, Golconda Stables. Trained by Bob Baffert
Code of Honor – Owned by W.S. Farish. Trained by Shug McGaughey
Harper's First Ride – Owned by MCA Racing Stable LLC. Trained by Claudio Gonzalez
Jesus' Team – Owned by Grupo 7C Racing Stable. Trained by Jose D'Angelo
Kiss Today Goodbye – Owned by John Sondereker. Trained by J. Eric Kruljac
Knicks Go – Owned by Korea Racing Authority. Trained by Brad Cox
Mr Freeze – Owned by Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister. Trained by Dale Romans
Mucho Gusto – Owned by HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled. Trained by Bob Baffert
Sharp Samurai – Owned by Red Baron's Barn LLC, Rancho Temescal LLC, Mark Glatt. Trained by Mark Glatt
Sleepy Eyes Todd – Owned by Thumbs Up Racing, LLC. Trained by Miguel Angel Silva
Tax – Owned by R.A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch. Trained by Danny Gargan
True Timber – Owned by Calumet Farm. Trained by Jack Sisterson.

The also eligibles are (in order of preference)

Anothertwistafate – Owned by Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd. Trained by Peter Miller
Math Wizard – Owned by John Fanelli, Khalid Mishref, Cash is King LLC, LC Racing LLC, Collarmele Vitelli Stables LLC, Ioannis, Zouas, Bassett Stables. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.
King Guillermo – Owned by Victoria's Ranch. Trained by Juan Carlos Avila
Idol – Owned by Calvin Nguyen. Trained by Richard Baltas

Baffert, who won the Pegasus last year with Mucho Gusto and the inaugural running with Arrogate, has two chances for a hat trick with his defending champion and Charlatan.

After his victory in the Pegasus last year Mucho Gusto finished fourth Feb. 29 in the Saudi Cup before Baffert gave the 5-year-old son of Mucho Macho Man time off. He returned Dec. 26 to finish fourth of six in the San Antonio (G2).

Charlatan was regarded as one of the country's top 3-year-olds after his performance in the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G1) but he was sidelined with an ankle injury before returning off a seven-month layoff to win the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Knicks Go enters the Pegasus off three consecutive victories since being moved to the stable of Brad Cox. The 5-year-old Maryland-bred son of Paynter was an impressive winner last time out of the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

Jesus' Team, second in the Breeders' Cup Mile and beaten less than a length by Knicks Go, sold for $30,000 as a yearling and has earned $508,940. The Jose D'Angelo-trained 4-year-old finished third in the Preakness (G1) and Jim Dandy (G2) last year.

Sharp Samurai was beaten a nose by Jesus' Team for the place in the Breeders' Cup Mile. The 7-year-old gelding, based at Santa Anita with trainer Mark Glatt, was second last year in the Pacific Classic (G1), Eddie Read (G2) and City of Hope (G2). His last victory was the 2018 City of Hope. Sharp Samurai is also on the invitation list for the Pegasus Turf.

W.S. Farish's homebred Code of Honor will be making his 13th consecutive start in a graded race, his ninth in a Grade 1 event. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, Code of Honor was placed second in the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) and went on to win the Travers (G1) and Jockey Club (G1). Code of Honor's 4-year-old season included a victory in the Westchester (G3) and second-place finishes in the Clark (G1) and Kelso (G2).

Tax, claimed for $50,000 out of his second career start by trainer Danny Gargan for co-owner Hugh Lynch, will run in his second consecutive Pegasus. The 5-year-old, an impressive winner of the Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Dec. 12 off a seven-month layoff, was fourth in the 2019 Belmont (G1) and won that year's Jim Dandy (G2). The son of Arch finished ninth in last year's Pegasus after stumbling at the start.

Mr Freeze finished second in last year's Pegasus World Cup, 4 ½ lengths behind winner Mucho Gusto. Trained by Dale Romans, Mr Freeze went on to win the Fayette Stakes (G2) before wide trips resulted in a sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile and fifth-place finish in the Clark last time out.

Calumet Farm is hoping the third time is the charm for True Timber. Seventh in the 2019 edition of the Pegasus and eighth last year, the 7-year-old enters this year's $3 million edition off a popular victory in the Cigar Mile (G1) Dec. 5 at Aqueduct. It was his first win in 13 starts, since September of 2018.

Sleepy Eyes Todd won the Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park Dec. 19. The 5-year-old son of Paddy O'Prado, who won the Charles Town Classic (G2) in August, has been a model of consistency, winning eight of 15 races while racing at 11 different tracks for trainer Miguel Angel Silva.

John Sondereker's Kiss Today Goodbye, a lightly-raced 4-year-old, upset Mucho Gusto and four others Dec. 26 in the Malibu when he closed from last. Trained by J. Eric Kruljak, Kiss Today Goodbye had finished fifth in the Del Mar Derby (G2) and fourth in the Twilight Derby (G2) earlier in the year.

Harper's First Ride, a 5-year-old Maryland-bred, enters the Pegasus having won four of his last five starts including a victory in the Pimlico Special (G3). Maryland's perennial leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez will saddle the son of Paynter.

Anothertwistafate, winner of the Jan. 2 San Gabriel (G2) at Santa Anita and Sept. 10 Longacres Mile (G3), is No. 1 on the also eligible list. The son of Scat Daddy is also on the invitation list for the Pegasus Turf. Locally-based Math Wizard, a Grade 1 winner who finished second last summer to Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) show finisher Global Campaign in the Monmouth Cup, is second on the AE list while King Guillermo, owned by former Major League Baseball all-star Victor Martinez, and Idol, second in the San Antonio, round out the list.

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