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Mishriff Eyes Saudi Cup Repeat

Prince Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), victorious in last season's Saudi Cup in Riyadh, remains on course to defend his title in the $20-million race Feb. 26. The race will be run as a Group 1 for the first time this year.

“That's his target, the Saudi Cup, and as far as I know everything is on track,” said Ted Voute, racing manager to Prince Faisal.

Following last season's victory, the John and Thady Gosden trainee added a win in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan. Later that summer, the Irish-bred took the G1 Juddmonte International at York. Given two months off following the six-length score, the 2020 G1 Prix du Jockey Club victor returned to finish fourth in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot Oct.16.

“He's amazing, going back-to-back to Dubai and then Saudi, he's got an amazing constitution,” added Voute. “What I do know is that John said to me that he's thickened out even more and he's even stronger.”

The 5-year-old is currently listed as the second choice behind China Horse Club and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good (Into Mischief), winner of the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar in November.

“We'll wait and see, I notice we're second favourite to one of the American horses which I like, that takes the pressure off a little bit!”

“Fingers crossed he stays in one piece and gets out there, it would be fun.”

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Pegasus World Cup Invitations Point To Knicks Go, Life Is Good Showdown

Defending champion and projected 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go, Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Life Is Good, and undefeated Malibu (G1) winner Flightline highlight a list of 19 horses invited to compete in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Saturday, Jan. 29, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

A total of seven graded stakes worth $5.2 million in purses will be offered on Pegasus Day, led by the return of the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) and the debut of the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3).

All three races are for 4-year-olds and up. The Pegasus World Cup and Pegasus Turf are both contested at 1 1/8 miles while the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf, previously run as the Marshua's River, will be run at 1 1/16 miles.

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go ended 2021 on a four-race win streak, all in graded-stakes, including the Whitney (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Winner of the 2020 Dirt Mile, he began last year with an emphatic 2 ¾-length triumph in the Pegasus World Cup and is seeking to become its first repeat champion.

Also among invitees to the Pegasus World Cup from the barn of trainer Brad Cox are Concert Tour and Mandaloun. Gary and Mary West homebred Concert Tour won the San Vicente (G2) and Rebel (G2) in 2021 but has not raced since finishing ninth in the Preakness (G1), all for previous trainer Bob Baffert. Juddmonte homebred Mandaloun ran second to Medina Spirit in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and is also coming off a layoff following his triumph in the Haskell (G1).

WinStar Farm's and CHC Inc.'s and Life Is Good was dominant in a front-running 5 ¾-length victory in the Dirt Mile Nov. 6 at Del Mar, his fifth win from six career starts and first Grade 1 after triumphs in the Kelso (G2), San Felipe (G2) and Sham (G3) last year. He has been breezing regularly since mid-December in South Florida for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“Life Is Good we've been pointing for the Pegasus since the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He got a short freshening at WinStar and he's come in with that as our goal,” Pletcher said. “Everything has gone according to plan. He's never run at Gulfstream, but he's the kind of horse where his style should suit Gulfstream well.”

Other Pletcher-trained horses on the Pegasus World Cup invite list are Dr Post, Fearless and Happy Saver. St. Elias Stable's Dr Post is a two-time Grade 3 winner that is 2-0 at Gulfstream including the 2020 Unbridled; Repole Stable's Fearless exits a victory in Gulfstream's Harlan's Holiday (G3) Dec. 18; and Wertheimer and Frere homebred Happy Saver won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) as a 3-year-old in 2020 then ran second in defense of his title as well as the Nov. 24 Clark (G1).

The $150,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3) for 4-year-olds and up going one mile on the main track as part of the undercard is also an alternative.

“Not sure who else we could potentially have for it. We're kind of waiting to see how Dr Post and Happy Saver and Fearless train. We also have the mile race that day on the dirt as an option for those horses,” Pletcher said. “We're also considering maybe Happy Saver going to Saudi, so we're just kind of, as always, seeing how everyone's training and how they're coming up to these.”

Undefeated Malibu (G1) winner Flightline, trainer by John Sadler, has raced only three times but has won those races by a combined 37 ½ lengths while being hand ridden to the finish line in each. Sadler has not announced any plans for Flightline's next race.

Completing the Pegasus World Cup invitations are 2019 American Pharoah (G1) winner Eight Rings; multiple graded-stakes winner Express Train; 2021 Pat O'Brien (G2) winner Ginobili; millionaire 2021 Lecomte (G3) winner Midnight Bourbon; 2019 Belmont (G1) winner Sir Winston and 2021 Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Super Stock.

Concert Tour, Endorsed and Fearless are among the invitees on the also-eligible list, along with Chess Chief, Officiating, Stilleto Boy and Title Ready.

$3 MILLION PEGASUS WORLD CUP (G1) INVITATIONS

Dr Post
Eight Rings
Express Train
Flightline
Ginobili
Happy Saver
Knicks Go
Life Is Good
Mandaloun
Midnight Bourbon
Sir Winston
Super Stock

AE – Chess Chief
AE – Concert Tour
AE – Endorsed
AE – Fearless
AE – Officiating
AE – Stilleto Boy
AE – Title Ready

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Pletcher: Life Is Good ‘Continues To Train Very Impressively’ For Pegasus

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good, dominant winner of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his most recent start, continues to train forwardly toward his 4-year-old debut in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park.

The return of the Pegasus World Cup and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) and debut of the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3) headline a Pegasus Day program featuring seven graded-stakes worth $5.2 million in purses. All three Pegasus races are for older horses.

Life Is Good was among two dozen horses breezing for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. The Into Mischief colt was clocked 1:00.41 for five furlongs, fifth-fastest of 11 horses.

“He's a phenomenal workhorse. He's a very talented, gifted animal that when you watch him breeze you kind of look at your stopwatch and it doesn't look like what you'd expect to see when he's doing it. He's doing it so easily,” Pletcher said. “He continues to train very impressively. We're three weeks out and we're happy with where we are.”

Fellow Pegasus World Cup candidate Fearless worked a half-mile in 50.04 seconds Saturday. Repole Stable's Fearless exits a four-length victory in the Harlan's Holiday (G3) Dec. 18 at Gulfstream, where he also won the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) last February.

Among the stakes on the Pegasus undercard is the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3) for 4-year-olds and up going one mile on the main track.

“Fearless continues to train really well. Happy with him,” Pletcher said. “We haven't decided. I talked to Mike Repole and right now we're leaning toward the mile race that day on the undercard.”

Pegasus Turf candidates Colonel Liam and Never Surprised were also on Saturday's work tab. Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, the defending champion, went five furlongs in 1:00.46 while Never Surprised, winner of the Dec. 26 Tropical Turf at Gulfstream, had a half-mile move in 51.01 seconds.

The Lows also own Sweet Melania, who earned her third career graded-stakes triumph in the Dec. 18 Suwannee River (G3) Dec. 18 at Gulfstream and is being pointed to the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf. The American Pharoah mare worked four furlongs in 50.32 seconds.

“Colonel Liam, very good breeze with him again this morning. We're on a tight schedule, but everything has gone right so far and I think we're approaching the race the way you'd hope. Never Surprised bounced out of the Tropical Derby very well, just a maintenance breeze this morning. Happy with him,” Pletcher said. “Sweet Melania, she was good this morning, too. So far, everything's gone according to plan.”

Pletcher said Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal, last out winner of the Dec. 4 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, will make his sophomore debut in the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 5, Gulfstream's next stop for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) April 2.

Mo Donegal worked five furlongs in 1:00.46 Saturday at Palm Meadows, his third breeze since arriving in South Florida.

“Very good work, happy with him,” Pletcher said. “He's right on schedule for the Holy Bull.”

Pletcher also provided an update on WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's Emmanuel, a 3-year-old More Than Ready colt that debuted with a front-running 6 ¾-length triumph in a one-mile maiden special weight Dec. 11 at Gulfstream. He was scratched from a one-mile, 40-yard optional claiming allowance Friday at Tampa Bay Downs.

“He spiked a 102.5 temperature the morning after we entered,” Pletcher said. “It's kind of frustrating. We were kind of hoping to get some two-turn experience at Tampa. He's fine, he's going back to the track tomorrow. Now we've just got to regroup and find out we're going to come back.”

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Life Is Good Tops Pletcher’s Pegasus Workers Saturday

'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), a dominant winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 6, continues to train forwardly toward his 4-year-old debut in the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park.

Life Is Good was among two dozen horses breezing for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. He was clocked in 1:00.41 (5/11) for five furlongs.

Fearless (Ghostzapper) worked a half-mile in :50.04 (15/25). He exits a four-length victory in the GIII Harlan's Holiday S. Dec. 18 at Gulfstream.

“Fearless continues to train really well. Happy with him,” Pletcher said. “We haven't decided [what's next]. I talked to Mike Repole and right now we're leaning toward the mile race [GIII Fred W. Hooper] that day on the undercard.”

Pegasus World Cup Turf candidates Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) and Never Surprised (Constitution) were also on Saturday's worktab. Colonel Liam, the defending Pegasus World Cup Turf winner, went five furlongs in 1:00.46 (6/11) while Never Surprised, winner of the Dec. 26 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream, had a half-mile move in :51.01 (22/25). Colonel Liam has been off since finishing eighth in the GI Manhattan S. at Belmont in June.

Sweet Melania (American Pharoah), who earned her third career graded win in the Dec. 18 GIII Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream, is being pointed to the GIII Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf. She worked four furlongs in :50.32 (19/25).

Pletcher said that Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), a last out winner of the Dec. 4 GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct, will make his sophomore debut in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5. Mo Donegal worked five furlongs in 1:00.46 (6/11) Saturday, his third breeze since arriving in South Florida.

“Very good work, happy with him,” Pletcher said. “He's right on schedule for the Holy Bull.”

Pletcher also provided an update on flashy Gulfstream debut winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready). He was scratched from an optional claiming allowance Friday at Tampa Bay Downs.

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