Main Event (Bernardini) punched his ticket to the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Saturday with a thrilling gate-to-wire win in the GII Fort Lauderdale S. at Gulfstream to close out Pegasus Preview Day in south Florida.
Raced exclusively in New York for his 4-year-old campaign, the OBSAPR grad returned to Gulfstream for the first time since picking up two wins out of three starts to begin his campaign nearly two years ago. A stakes winner over the grass in the Cutler Bay S. back in 2022, Main Event picked up a signature win in the GIII Kent S. at Delaware last July but was relegated back to allowance company after an off-the-board performance in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational as a 3-year-old. A winner on an improved effort, including a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure last time out at Aqueduct Nov. 3, Main Event still went off nearly unnoticed at 11-1 Saturday. In a 'catch me if you can' effort, the colt took command before the field passed the wire with a lap to run and held off determined runs from fellow New York runner Jerry the Nipper (Liam's Map) and 17-1 longshot European runner Kingmax (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) to just barely last in a gusty effort.
“He is very talented,” said winning trainer George Weaver. “We've always been looking forward to getting back here. He does love this turf course. He's a graded-stakes winner and he's had plenty of experience.”
Pedigree Note:
One of 86 stakes winner for the great Bernardini, Main Event is out of an unraced half-sister to GSW Enstone (Tiznow) and from the family of third dam Garden Secrets, a half-sister to dual champion Silverbulletday ( Silver Deputy). Also under his third dam is GISW Forest Secrets (Forest Wildcat) and GSW Rumor Has It (Awesome Again). Total Knockout last produced a Mastery yearling colt and was bred to Constitution for 2024.
#4 MAIN EVENT ($25.00) loved the Gulfstream Turf and gets the bob over #5 Kingmax (IRE) at the wire for victory in the G2
Ft. Lauderdale Stakes with @jjcjockey in the irons. Congratulations to trainer George Weaver and owner Harrell Ventures. pic.twitter.com/f1znGrSC6e
— TVG (@TVG) December 30, 2023
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
LAUDERDALE S.-GII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 12-30, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:46.47, gd.
1–MAIN EVENT, 121, c, 4, by Bernardini
1st Dam: Total Knockout, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: La Suena, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Garden Secrets, by Time for a Change
($50,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $130,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Harrell
Ventures, LLC; B-Godolphin, Eric Buckley & Elizabeth Buckley
(KY); T-George Weaver; J-Javier Castellano. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 13-5-1-0, $457,783. Click for the free Equineline.com
catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kingmax (Ire), 121, c, 4, Kingman (GB)–Baino Hope (Fr), by
Jeremy. (£120,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Amo Racing USA;
B-Sunderland Holding Inc. (IRE); T-Jorge Delgado. $40,000.
3–Jerry the Nipper, 121, g, 6, Liam's Map–Aqua Regia, by
Pollard's Vision. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($310,000 Wlg '17
KEENOV; $85,000 3yo '20 KEENOV). O-Repole Stable; B-St.
Elias Stable, LLC & Peta Ryan (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$20,000.
Margins: HD, HF, HD. Odds: 11.50, 17.50, 4.70.
Also Ran: Grand Sonata, Stone Age (Ire), Fort Washington, Marwad (GB), Running Bee, Red Run. Scratched: Henley's Joy.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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