Pegasus Day 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Aiming for ‘Glory’ in the Pegasus F/M Turf

Since its inaugural running in 2017, the Pegasus World Cup Invitational has become one of the marquee events during Gulfstream's Championship Meeting. Its 'Turf' equivalent, which was added in 2019, was won by that season's Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, and three years later, a division for the fairer set is added to the card, the GIII TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational S.

Formerly the Marshua's River S., the 8 1/2-furlong test for older fillies and mares features a pair of Grade I winners–morning line favorite Peter Brant's Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) and Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), a homebred for Charles Fipke.

The former, a half-sister to MGSW Night Prowler (Giant's Causeway), is an eight-time stakes winner, including the most recent Del Mar's GI Matriarch S. Nov. 28. Last season, she also annexed the Plenty of Grace S. and De La Rose S., in addition to finishing runner-up in the GI First Lady S. The daughter of MGSW Mary's Follies was plucked out of the Paul Pompa Jr. dispersal at Keeneland last January by Brant for $925,000.

Lady Speightspeare showed her class early on, taking her career debut while becoming a 'TDN Rising Star' at Woodbine in August before taking the one-mile GI Natalma S. at that venue to cap off her 2-year-old campaign. Back on top in her sophomore reappearance while facing her elders in a Woodbine optional claimer last September, she was scratched after acting up in the gate before Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Oct. 16 and was scratched by her trainer Roger Attfield prior to the Oct. 29 GIII Rubicon Valley View S. Trying a synthetic surface for the first time in the seven-panel GII Bessarabian S. against older rivals at Woodbine Nov. 13, the chestnut rolled home by four lengths before finishing third behind the re-opposing Bipartisanship (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) in her final race of the season in Gulfstream's Tropical Park Oaks Dec. 26. Junior Alvarado rides the 4-year-old for the first time.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, offering very strong candidates in the other two Pegasus races, is represented in this inaugural running by Robert and Lawana Lowe's Sweet Melania (American Pharoah). The consistent filly has hit the board in 12 of 15 lifetime starts, including a recent win over the local turf course in the one-mile GIII Suwanee River S. Dec. 18. On that occasion, she defeated several horses marking their returns here, including runner-up Shifty She (Gone Astray).

“She's had six weeks since [the Suwanee River] and she's eating well, putting on a little more weight,” said Pletcher. “She's also been training very enthusiastically. All the signs you'd like to see. Her coat is better than it was. She just seems to be blossoming right now. This will be a tougher ask, but she's doing great.”

Making her U.S. debut Saturday, Gary Barber and Team Valor's Wakanaka (Ire) (Power {GB}), winner of six of eight starts in Italy while under the care of trainer Diego Dettori. In her final race in Italy, the bay won the G3 Regina Elena Italian 1000 Guineas at Capannelle in Rome last April. Purchased by the current partnership 10 months ago, she suffered from bone bruising after her arrival in the U.S., postponing her Stateside debut.

“Everybody wants to win the 1000 Guineas equivalent. There it's a Group 3, but it's a Classic,” said Team Valor's Barry Irwin. “That's the big focal point for all the fillies.”

He continued, “She was a good 2-year-old. She would have been the second-best 2-year-old filly in Italy. She had six starts: four wins, two seconds. She got beat by the filly [Aria Importante] that wound up being the champion.”

Trained by Bill Mott, the filly will break from post 2 under Umberto Rispoli.

“She's a very likable filly,” said Irwin. “She's got a lot of pizazz about her. And she's got instant turn of foot, which is the one thing that we liked. That's why we buy so many horses over there. You tell them to go and it's like now.”

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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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Quality on TAP on Pegasus Day

One can always count on Todd Pletcher to make a show of force on the big days. This Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational card is no different, with the Hall of Fame trainer offering strong representation in all three of Gulfstream's Pegasus events.

“It's a really marquee day for the Championship Meet at Gulfstream,” Pletcher said. “The Pegasus has attracted some of the best horses in training since it's been in existence. It's early enough in the season for horses that want to go to stud like Gun Runner did and Knicks Go is doing, and its useful in kicking off the upcoming season. It's a significant event that has etched out its spot on the calendar.”

Looking for his first GI Pegasus World Cup victory, Pletcher offers the uber-talented 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who has done very little wrong in his career, winning five of six career starts, with his only loss coming at the hands of Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga last summer.

Following his narrow defeat, the WinStar Farm and CHC LLC runner has proven unstoppable, rolling over older rivals in both the GII Kelso H. followed by the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November.

“The Breeders' Cup was kind of a relief for me because I was expecting him to win,” conceded Pletcher. “Any time you are in that type of situation, you can be a little anxious. But, we knew he'd go fast. There were a few other fast horses in there, so he had to go pretty quickly into the first turn to clear, so when they're throwing up those kinds of fractions, you're just hoping he hasn't gone too fast. But, he's such a gifted horse that he's capable of doing that. Like everyone else, we were very impressed, and we were happy it went according to plan.”

When asked if he thought the strapping 4-year-old could handle the extra yardage while trying nine furlongs for the first time in his career, Pletcher didn't mince words.

“I don't know that we have seen his best distance,” he stated. “He is like a lot of really good horses that do a lot of things very well. He's shown how fast he is. And in the [BC Dirt Mile] he has shown that he has that high-cruising speed and the ability to carry it over a distance. So, in his training, I have not seen any limitations to what he may be able to do. He still has to prove that at [Gulfstream], but when you watch him train, he never stops. It gives us optimism that he'll handle the extra ground.”

According to Pletcher, a win on Saturday could pave the way to an international sojourn.

“If this goes well, the plan is to take a look at the [10-furlong G1] Dubai World Cup [Mar. 26].”

Arguably known best for his powerful arsenal of dirt horses, Pletcher shows he is equally adept at handling a top turf runner, and gets to prove it yet again with the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational's defending champion and morning-line favorite Colonel Liam (Liam's Map). Campaigned by Robert and Lawana Low, the grey won four stakes in 2021, including the GI Turf Classic–albeit in a dead heat–at Churchill Downs last spring. He went to the sidelines after an eighth-place finish in the 10-furlong GI Manhattan S. June 5.

“Last year, we had just a little bit more time and we were able to run him in the Tropical Park Derby,” said Pletcher, explaining the lead up to last year's race. “He won that and it set him up nicely for this race. This year, the way the calendar came up, we just didn't have time for a prep. But, he's a willing work horse and we've done plenty with him.”

In this year's Turf, Pletcher is also represented by Repole Stable's Never Surprised (Constitution), who has never finished worse than second in seven career starts. The 7-2 second choice on the morning line, the bay enters this year's Turf off a pair of impressive victories–in the Nov. 26 Gio Ponti S. at the Big A and most recently in the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream one month later. He drew post 12 in the nine-furlong event.

“He's a free-running horse with natural speed,” said Pletcher. “It's not an ideal post for him, given his style. But, if he'll settle like he did the last time, I think he's a horse that could be dangerous.”

Also likely to garner healthy respect at the windows for the inaugural running of the PWC Filly and Mare Turf, the Low's Sweet Melania (American Pharoah) has already proven she was more than capable of handling several of these rivals when winning Gulfstream's GIII Suwanee River S. Dec. 18. Left in her wake that day were Shifty She (Gone Astray, 2nd), In a Hurry (Blame, 3rd) and Alms (City Zip, 7th).

“I was really pleased with her last race, I thought that was one of her better races,” he said. “She's been very consistent throughout her career, but I thought that was an especially good performance from her. I actually think she's coming into this a little better than she was for that race.”

On the Pegasus undercard, Pletcher also offers a one-two punch in the GIII Fred W. Hooper S. with Fearless (Ghostzapper) and Liam (Liam's Map). Fearless, who has won four of five starts at Gulfstream, is coming off a four-length score in the GIII Harlan's Holiday S. after finishing second in a Nov. 21 overnight handicap at Gulfstream while coming off a six-month layoff. Liam returned off over a year on the bench to win in a Gulfstream optional claimer at a mile Dec. 15.

“He's a horse that I think kind of benefitted from the race off the layoff and then made a move forward in the Harlan's Holiday,” Pletcher said of Fearless, who was initially being considered for the PWC. “He seems to really like Gulfstream. He always runs well over that track. He's held form since then and has been training sharply.”

In other stakes action, Pletcher is also represented by Always Shopping (Awesome Again) in the GIII La Prevoyante S.; Abaan (Will Take Charge) in the GIII W. L. McKnight S. and A G Indy (Take Charge Indy) in the GII Inside Information S.

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