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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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NYRA Reports 19 Percent Increase In Daily Average Wagering During Pandemic-Shortened Year

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has announced that its 2020 race meets conducted at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course generated all-sources handle of more than $1.8 billion.

Total handle over the 157 race days contested in 2020 was $1,813,935,091 for an average daily handle of $11,553,727, a 19 percent increase over 2019. Average field size for the 1,507 races completed in 2020 was 7.82, a six percent increase over 2019.

Since the resumption of live racing on June 3 through the end of 2020, all-sources handle totaled $1,586,344,888, a $7,059,402 increase over the same period in 2019. Average daily handle from June 3 through the end of 2020 was $13,443,601, marking a 16 percent increase over the same period in 2019.

Despite the loss of 43 race days to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in 27 percent fewer race days and 25 percent fewer races than in 2019, all-sources handle declined year-over-year by just 14 percent compared to the $2,108,126,369 generated in 2019.

At the outset of the pandemic, NYRA voluntarily suspended live racing operations on March 19 to devote all resources, energy and attention to maintaining the health and welfare of the backstretch community. Live racing resumed June 3 when NYRA opened the Belmont Park spring/summer meet to mark the return of professional sports in New York. Since June 3, all NYRA tracks have been operated without spectators and with only a limited number of essential personnel, horsemen and owners on-site.

The abbreviated 25-day Belmont spring/summer meet generated $15,466,198 in average daily handle from all sources, a 42 percent increase over the 2019 spring/summer meet. Despite running 23 fewer days than in 2019, a 48 percent decrease, all sources handle during the spring/summer meet declined by just 26 percent for a total of $386,654,955.

The June 20 Belmont Stakes Day card, which featured 12 races and six graded stakes, highlighted by Tiz the Law's victory in the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, generated all sources handle of $67,753,336.

NYRA held its 2020 summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course as scheduled and without interruption. All-sources handle for the 2020 summer meet totaled $702,535,468 compared to $705,343,949 wagered from all sources on Saratoga in 2019. Average daily handle for the 40-day meet was $17,563,387.

The 2020 fall meet at Belmont Park generated $9,923,813 in average daily handle from all sources, marking a 33.6 percent increase over the 2019 fall meet.

Despite running 10 fewer days than in 2019, the all sources handle for the Belmont fall meet totaled $267,942,961, just 2.5 percent lower than in 2019. Due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NYRA adjusted the fall schedule by adding a one-week break following the conclusion of the summer meet at Saratoga. Consequently, the 2020 fall meet was contested over 27 days compared to 37 days in 2019, a 27 percent decrease in race dates.

The recently concluded Big A fall meet, which ran from November 6 through December 6, generated $9,261,276 in average daily handle from all sources for a 12.8 percent increase over 2019. Conducted over 18 race days, the Aqueduct fall meet generated all sources handle of $166,702,976. The 2019 fall meet, which was conducted over 25 race days, generated all sources handle of $205,249,710. A total of 175 races were run during the Aqueduct fall meet in 2020, equating to 58 fewer than the number of races run in 2019.

NYRA conducted a total of 127 stakes races in 2020, not including New York-bred and NYSSS races, accounting for 25 percent of all stakes run in the United States. Of the 127 stakes, 95 were of the graded variety, representing 25 percent of all graded stakes run in the United States. NYRA hosted 33 Grade 1 stakes in 2020, or 35 percent of all Grade 1 races run in the United States. Due to the myriad impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the reorganization of the stakes calendar, 36 stakes races scheduled for 2020 were not run, with 17 of them graded.

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Heavy Favorite Life Is Good Wins Sham But Baffert Stablemate Medina Spirit Made It Close

Sent from his outside post position, heavily favored Life Is Good was running easily throughout but survived a mild scare late from stablemate Medina Spirit to prevail by three quarters of a length in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., thus stamping his ticket for the early trail to the Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Bob Baffert, who won last year's Sham with eventual Derby winner Authentic, Life Is Good, a striking bay colt by Into Mischief, got a flat mile in 1:36.63 and despite the fact the winning margin was evaporating late, held sway on the gallop-out around the Club House turn as he seemed to re-focus while not letting Medina Spirit pass him at any point.

“It was his first time around two turns,” said Smith, who had been aboard for a sensational 9 ½ length maiden win going 6 ½ furlongs on Nov. 22 at Del Mar. “He got away just a little slow, but he got up and of course he's naturally so quick, he was just up underneath himself. Just as we were heading for home, he was doing things all by himself so easy out there.

“He didn't know what he was doing going twice around, and he just got the lead and was looking out at the Infield on the big screen. He could see himself, and he got to looking, but I was watching as well so I saw the horse coming on the outside. I didn't want to panic, I just showed it (the stick) to him a little bit. What I liked really was after the race, when I stood up and the (other) horse got next to me, he jumped back in the bridle and I mean I had to pull him up.

“He's just very, very talented. We don't know yet how talented. We haven't gotten close yet.”

Off at 1-5 in a field of five sophomores, Life Is Good paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10.

“Medina is a nice horse, he's a good horse and I could tell that Mike was just cruising out there,” said Baffert, who has now won a record seven Sham Stakes. “I always feel that the second race is most important. You're going up against winners. I think Mike did a great job, just sort of cruising out there and it was just the kind of race we were looking for. They ran pretty fast…It is so exciting he passed the two turn test.”

Owned by CHC Inc. and Winstar Farm, Life Is Good, who was bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West and is out of the Distorted Humor mare Beach Walk, picked up 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, along with $60,000 for the win, which increased his earnings to $94,200.

Medina Spirit, who broke his maiden first time out going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos, sat second the entire trip and finished some 13 lengths clear of Parnelli. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Medina Spirit was off at 9-1 and paid $3.60 and $2.20.

The second choice at 9-2 with Drayden Van Dyke, Parnelli paid $2.10 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.56, 46.67, 1:10.66 and 1:23.24.

Medina Spirit picked up four Derby qualifying points, Parnelli two and fourth place finisher Waspirant will receive one point.

Updated Kentucky Derby points leaderboard

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races are available free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager via 1^st.com/Bet.

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Miller Looking At Pegasus After Anothertwistafate Triumphs In San Gabriel

Into the bridle and under restraint early, Anothertwistafate, in his second start for trainer Peter Miller, took command in mid-stretch en route to a 2 ¼-length score in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Joel Rosario, the 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy got a mile and one eighth over the Santa Anita turf in 1:46.63.

A measured second, one length off early leader Bob and Jackie three furlongs out, Anothertwistafate reeled him in around the turn and took command approaching the sixteenth pole to win geared down.

“It was the first time with blinkers today and he broke really quick out of there,” said Rosario. “It looked like the other horse (Bob and Jackie) really wanted to go to the lead, so I had to just let it work out a little bit, let him sit off and he did, he was fine after I put him behind the other horse. He was good.

“Today having the blinkers on helped, he was more focused today. I never rode him before his last start, but he improved today.”

Originally based at Golden Gate Fields with Blaine Wright, Anothertwistafate came off a fourth-place finish as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 28 and was off at 5-2 in a field of seven older horses in the San Gabriel. In his 10th overall start, he paid $7.60, $4.80 and $3.80.

Owned by Peter Redekop BC Ltd., Anothertwistafate, a full horse out of the First Defence mare Imprecation, notched his second graded stakes win and with the winner's share of $120,000, increased his earnings to $490,505.

“The first half mile, he was a little rank, then Joel got him to settle,” said Miller. “Joel recommended the blinkers after his last race. He made the lead and was gawking around. We wanted him to have a target (today). This is my first win for Mr. Redekop. It's a nice way to do it, in a Grade 2, $200,000. We'll look at the Pegasus, both the turf and the dirt. The dirt is more money, but obviously, there's tougher horses in there.”

Ridden by Heriberto Figueroa, Bob and Jackie held second by two lengths over Next Shares and paid $7.00 and $4.80 while off at 5-1.

Next Shares, who sat third throughout, held on by a nose over Multiplier and paid $4.40 to show with Jose Valdivia, Jr. up.

Even money favorite Count Again, who trailed throughout, was eased at the wire under Juan Hernandez, beaten by more than 20 lengths.

“Juan (Hernandez) said when he asked him, he didn't pursue,” said Count Again's trainer, Phil D'Amato.

Fractions on the race were 23.02, 46.95, 1:11.62 and 1:34.91.

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