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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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Weekend Lineup Presented By DRFBets: Heavyweights Take Flight At Gulfstream

The Breeders' Cup winners showdown between Knicks Go and Life is Good in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup is the highlight of this weekend's graded stakes action. The 1 1/8-mile showdown is the centerpiece of a seven-stakes card at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, which also features the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf in which 2021 winner Colonel Liam will attempt to defend his title off a lengthy layoff.

Also on Saturday, Kentucky Derby points are on the line at Oaklawn Park as Smarty Jones winner Dash Attack takes on undefeated California shipper Newgrange in the G3 Southwest Stakes.

Sunday's action is highlighted by the Houston Ladies Classic card at Sam Houston Race Park, as well as the G2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Saturday

3:03 PM – G2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park

Emotions ran high after last year's $200,000 Inside Information (G2) at Gulfstream Park, when durable mare Pacific Gale ended a 17-race losing streak with her first graded triumph for the widow of one of trainer John Kimmel's longest clients, who passed away just a month before.

It could be a similarly emotional afternoon Saturday when the 7-year-old Pacific Gale returns to Gulfstream with a chance to defend her title in what will be the final start of a long and successful career.

Kimmel said Holly Hill Stables' Pacific Gale will be bred to champion Uncle Mo following the Inside Information, a race she won by 2 ¾ lengths at odds of 16-1 last winter after finishing sixth in 2019. Pacific Gale was booked to Not This Time for 2021, but was doing so well that Kimmel convinced the late Mike Morton's widow, Tobey, to give her another try.

Inside Information Entries

3:36 PM – G3 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park

Fully recovered from a career-threatening injury that cost her all of 2020, Shifty She, with her distinctive name and background, is ready for a stern test Saturday in the inaugural running of the TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Presented by PEPSI (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Peter Brant's Grade 1 winner Regal Glory, trained by Chad Brown, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the 1 1/16 miles turf test that drew a field of 11 stakes runners. Regal Glory will start from Post No. 4 with jockey Jose Ortiz. The lineup includes Robert amd Lawana Low's Sweet Melania, who edged Shifty She in the Suwannee River (G3) on Dec. 18, and Team Valor's Irish-bred Wakanaka, who will make her U.S. debut.

The $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf is the newest addition to Gulfstream Park's program of seven graded stakes topped by the sixth running of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) present by 1/ST Bet.

Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Entries

4:49 PM – G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, thrilling winner of last year's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) in his graded-stakes debut, will end a 239-day gap between starts as he launches his comeback while attempting to defend his title in the richest turf race of the winter Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Colonel Liam will become one of only five horses to run in the Pegasus Turf more than once, a group led by California-based Next Shares, who took part in each of the first three editions. Cross Border, third behind Colonel Liam and Pletcher-trained stablemate Largent last year, as well as Sacred Life and Channel Cat, respectively fourth and 10th in 2020, also return this year.

During Tuesday's post-position draw inside Gulfstream's Sport of Kings Theater, Colonel Liam was made the narrow 3-1 favorite among 11 stakes winners, nine of them graded, including fellow Grade 1 winners Channel Cat and Hit the Road. Second choice on the morning line at 7-2 is stablemate Never Surprised, with Sacred Life (6-1) and Hit the Road (8-1) the others listed at single-digit odds.

Pegasus Turf Entries

5:22 PM – G3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park

Trainer Bob Baffert has the 2-1 program favorite in unbeaten Newgrange (2 for 2) for Oaklawn Park's second Kentucky Derby points race, this Saturday's $250,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds. Baffert bids for a record-tying fifth victory in Saturday's Grade 3 Southwest, now worth $750,000 as well as 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

he 1 1/16-mile Southwest will mark the first start outside California for Newgrange, who exits a front-running victory in the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) at one mile Jan. 1 at Santa Anita. (Baffert trainees are not eligible for Kentucky Derby points, due to a ban by Churchill Downs.)

Oaklawn conducted its first Kentucky Derby points race New Year's Day, with the Kenny McPeek-trained Dash Attack splashing home to a two-length victory in the $250,000 Smarty Jones at 1 mile.

Six other Smarty Jones starters are entered in the Southwest, which goes as the ninth of 11 races. Racing begins Saturday at 12:02 p.m. (Central), with probable post for the Southwest 4:22 p.m.

Southwest Entries

5:34 PM – Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park

Knicks Go has returned to Gulfstream Park for a highly anticipated title defense in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), which promises to provide Korea Racing Authority's Thoroughbred star with an opportunity to close out a remarkable racing career in style.

Knicks Go, who was installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine older horses after drawing the No. 1 post position, produced a dazzling 2 ¾-length victory in last year's Pegasus World Cup that would set the tone for a dominating campaign that is widely expected to earn him the 2021 Horse of the Year title next month. The 6-year-old son of Paynter, who is coming off an impressive 2 ¾-length triumph in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar, is riding a spectacular four-race winning streak in which he has beaten his opponents by a total off 21 ½ lengths while flashing his brilliant natural speed from start to finish. Knicks Go was named the 2021 Longines World' Best Racehorse during a virtual ceremony Tuesday at the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, England.

It remains to be seen if the Brad Cox trainee will be able to defend his title in his usual front-running fashion before starting his stallion career. This year's Pegasus World Cup has also attracted CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC's Life Is Good, who has won six of seven career starts from gate to wire, including a scintillating 5 ¾-length victory in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar.

Life Is Good, who was rated second at 7-5 in the morning line after drawing the No. 4 post position, was top rated on last year's Road to the Kentucky Derby when he won his first three starts on the front end impressively but was sent to the sidelines with an injury. After being transferred to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, the son of Into Mischief was upset by Jackie's Warrior by a head in the seven-furlong Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga in late August. He came back to capture the one-mile Kelso (G2) at Belmont by 5 ½ lengths and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in front-running style.

Pegasus Entries

Sunday

5:53 PM – G3 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston

Now in its tenth running, the Houston Ladies Classic, at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, has been a springboard for top older fillies and mares The purse was boosted to $400,000 this year (from $300,000) in its previous editions and Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen will go for his third victory with Stonestreet Stable LLC's homebred Pauline's Pearl. The filly by Tapit out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick, drew post position three with Joel Rosario riding the 6-5 morning line favorite. He and Asmussen have teamed successfully of late; Rosario guided La Crete to victory in Saturday's Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds.

The Mary Rose, bred and owned in Arkansas, by Shortleaf Stable, Inc, will ship to Houston from Oaklawn Park on Thursday, according to her trainer John Alexander Ortiz. He has conditioned the 5-year-old Macho Uno mare since last summer, with four on the board placings in five starts. She finished her 2021 season with an impressive seven-length score in a $50,000 allowance at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 31.

Houston Ladies Classic Entries

6:23 PM – G3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston

Trainer Mike Maker has won seven of the past ten editions of the mile and one-half stakes which is run on the Connally Turf Course, named for the late Texas Governor John B. Connally. The esteemed conditioner will saddle three entrants, with a fourth possibility if Shady McGee draws in from the also-eligible list.

Maker's runners this year will include 2021 Connally runner-up, Ajourneytofreedom, who drew post position 11 at odds of 7-2. Owned by Paradise Farm Corp. and David Staudacher, the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun, will be making his 23rd career start. The bay gelding exits the H. Allen Jerkens, a 2-mile feature at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 24. Nationally prominent rider Joel Rosario, who was aboard in the G2 Jockey Gold Cup last June at Belmont Park, has the call.

Connally Entries

TBA – G2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita

At the top of his game at age seven, trainer Phil D'Amato's venerable gelding Say the Word, fresh off a big come from behind victory in his most recent start, heads a compact field of six older horses going a mile and one quarter on turf in Sunday's Grade 2, $225,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Third to Say the Word in the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup Nov. 26, Friar's Road came up a nose short as the 3-5 favorite in the G3 San Gabriel Stakes here on Dec. 26 and will hope for better luck going an extra furlong.

Irish-bred Lincoln Hawk, although trying graded stakes competition for the first time since running a close fifth at 28-1 five starts back in the G2 Del Mar Derby, could certainly qualify as a “now” horse as he comes off an impressive allowance tally over the course at a mile and one eighth.

With a short field and what appears to be a dearth of front-running speed, eight-year-old Acclimate, a highly accomplished California-bred gelding, could be long gone on the San Marcos lead.

Throw in San Gabriel winner Bob and Jackie, who will be tasked with keeping Acclimate busy early, and the San Marcos looks to be very competitive affair.

San Marcos Entries

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Knicks Go Named Top Midlantic-Bred of 2021

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner and likely Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) was named Top Midlantic-Bred of 2021 in the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll.

It's the second straight year he's earned Top Midlantic-Bred honors.

“To see him win this award not once but twice is incredible,” said Sabrina Moore, who along with her mother Angie, bred Knicks Go in Maryland. “It's been an amazing journey, and I'm so grateful for it.”

“We are so proud that Knicks Go has been recognized for this honor as the top Midlantic-bred. We have all had so much fun following his stellar career,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “It has been quite a year for Maryland-breds on the national stage with Knicks Go and Aloha West. Every breeder dreams of producing horses like these. It is what keeps people in this business!”

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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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