Pegasus Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weekend Lineup Presented By Woodbine: Mandaloun Returns In Sunday’s Pegasus

This weekend's horse racing action is highlighted by the long-awaited return of live racing to Woodbine on Saturday, June 12, thanks to the provincial loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, while graded stakes action is relatively light across the U.S. Of course, next week's Royal Ascot meeting will begin on Tuesday, June 15, featuring 11 American contenders in the top-notch turf action.

Leading a quiet weekend of stakes racing is Juddmonte's Mandaloun, who is slated to make his first start since finishing second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on Sunday at Monmouth Park in the Pegasus Stakes.

Saturday, June 12

4:28 p.m. – $150,000 Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park on TVG

Last July, John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley's Ny Traffic gave future Horse of the Year Authentic all he could handle in the Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes, losing by a nose. Ny Traffic returns to Monmouth Park on Saturday facing nine rivals in the Grade 3 $150,000 Salvator Mile on the main track. A 4-year-old gray/roan son of Cross Traffic, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., and ridden from post seven by Paco Lopez, Ny Traffic made an impressive 2021 debut at Belmont Park on May 2 with a 6 ¾-length victory in a 7-furlong optional allowance claiming race. Breaking from post 10 under Robby Albarado is the defending Salvator Mile champion Pirate's Punch. Owned by Gulliver Racing, Craig Drager and Dan Legan, and trained by Grant Forster, Pirate's Punch came from off the pace to win last year's race, held Sept. 20, by 2 lengths. A 5-year-old gelded son of Eclipse Award-winner Shanghai Bobby, Pirate's Punch will be making his first start since trailing the field in the Grade 1 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland in November.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH061221USA10-EQB.html

10:11 p.m. ― $150,000 Grade 3 Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes at Churchill Downs

Led by 6-5 morning line favorite Juliet Foxtrot (GB), 11 fillies and mares have been entered for Saturday evening's featured Grade 3 Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes at Churchill Downs going 1 1/16 miles on turf. Owned by Juddmonte and trained by Brad Cox, Juliet Foxtrot has six wins, including an impressive wire-to-wire 2-length victory in her 2021 debut on April 10 in the Grade 1, 1 1/16-mile Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland over a yielding course. A 6-year-old bay daughter of Dansili (GB), who will be ridden from post two by Tyler Gaffalione, Juliet Foxtrot won last October's Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico. WinStar Stablemates Racing's Crystal Ball has won optional allowance claiming races at Santa Anita and at Churchill Downs this year. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon finished second in last year's Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. James Graham rides from post nine. Stonestreet Stables' Hendy Woods, trained by Mark Casse, tuned up for this race by taking a 1-mile optional claimer at Churchill on May 14. Ridden by Florent Geroux from post three, the 4-year-old filly finished second in last September's Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD061221USA9-EQB.html

Sunday, June 13

4:50 p.m. ― $150,00 TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG

Juddmonte's Mandaloun headlines Sunday's TVG.com Pegasus Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles at Monmouth Park. Facing four rivals, the Brad Cox-trained son of Into Mischief fought all the way in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, finishing second to Medina Spirit by a half-length at 26-1. Winner of the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds in February, Mandaloun will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post 2. Chiefswood Stables' Canadian-bred Weyburn, trained by Jimmy Jerkens, won the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in March, and returns to the races following a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 3. Dylan Davis has the mount, breaking from post four. Also coming out of the Kentucky Derby is Mark Schwartz's Brooklyn Strong. Trained by Daniel Velazquez and ridden from post two by Abner Adorno, Brooklyn Strong, who won last year's Grade 3 Remsen at Aqueduct, finished 15th in the Derby.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH061321USA10-EQB.html

8:30 p.m. ― $100,000 Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

California-bred gelding The Chosen Vron, winner of his last two races, leads five starters in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita. Owned by Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh, and trained by Krurjac, The Chosen Vron won Santa Anita's Echo Eddie against state breds on April 3, and followed that score with a 3 ½-length win as the odds-on favorite in the 6 ½-furlong Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera by 3 ½ lengths at Santa Anita on May 15. Umberto Rispoli will ride, breaking from post 3. Trainer Bob Baffert has entered two runners: Karl Watson, Paul Weitman and Mike Pegram's Defunded, fourth in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill on May 1, and SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm and Robert Masterson's Classier, who will be making his 2021 debut since finishing eighth in last year's Grade 1 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Abel Cedillo rides Defunded from post four, and Flavien Prat has the mount on Classier breaking from post one.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA061321USA10-EQB.html

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Cox: Kentucky Derby Runner-Up Mandaloun Using Pegasus To Build Fitness, Prep For Haskell

Trainer Brad Cox is looking for Sunday's TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park to serve a dual purpose for Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun.

One is to get some added fitness into his speedy 3-year-old, who has been idle since May 1. The other is to give the son of Into Mischief a race over the track.

Both are key elements in setting up Mandaloun's next start: The $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes on July 17, the Grade 1 race that serves as the centerpiece to the Monmouth Park meet.

“I want him to get some experience at Monmouth and I'm looking to use the race as a fitness tool, as a prep from the Haskell,” said Cox, who plans to fly in from Kentucky on Sunday morning to watch the race in person. “I didn't want to go 11 weeks without a race. This was the race we thought made the most sense on the calendar.”

The 40th edition of the Pegasus Stakes, at a mile and a sixteenth for 3-year-olds, has a recent history that suggests Cox's horse will have to earn whatever he gets.

Two years ago, disqualified Kentucky Derby winner Maximum Security finished second as the 1-20 favorite to King for a Day in the Pegasus Stakes before going on to win the Haskell.

Mandaloun, a Kentucky-bred colt owned by Juddmonte, sports a 3-1-1 line from six career starts with earnings of $961,252. He will enter the Pegasus off a six-week layoff.

“He's doing great,” said Cox. “Obviously we wouldn't be coming if he wasn't doing well. He ships today (Thursday) and hopefully he will get settled in quickly and be ready for Sunday.”

These are heady times for Cox, who is also mapping out a schedule for Belmont Stakes winner and last year's 2-year-old champion Essential Quality. Cox's plans have Essential Quality shipping to Saratoga in July and pointing to the Travers Stakes.

As hectic as it is for him, Cox would not have it any other way.

“I love everything about it,” he said. “It's why you get up and do this and spend so much time and effort and basically dedicate your life to it. It's the big stage.

“For me, 3-year-olds on the dirt going two turns, that's what it is all about. This is the division I like. The Triple Crown is a challenging thing for horses and it takes special horses to compete at that level. I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”

Mandaloun's stalking, close-to-the pace running style looks to be well suited for Monmouth Park, too.

“He is usually forwardly placed,” said Cox. “Any time you have speed like he does it's a big advantage. I'm not saying he is going to be on the lead in this race but he will be near the lead I'm sure. Any time you have his running style it normally puts you in a good position.”

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Courses Charted For Classic Runners-Up Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon

Neither Mandaloun, second behind Medina Spirit in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, nor G1 Preakness runner-up Midnight Bourbon are bound for Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., on June 5 for the Belmont Stakes or undercard races.

Daily Racing Form reports that Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun will be pointed by trainer Brad Cox toward the June 13 TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, a prep for the G1, $1-million Haskell Invitational at the Oceanport, N.J., track on July 17. Winner of the G2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, the Into Mischief colt could wind up as the official Kentucky Derby winner if a split sample confirms the presence of a corticosteroid and stewards disqualify Medina Spirit from the victory.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, a son of Tiznow, finished sixth after a rough start in the Kentucky Derby and then second in the Preakness. Winchell Thoroughbreds racing and bloodstock advisor David Fiske said Midnight Bourbon could also wind up in the Haskell or in the G2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 30 at Saratoga.

Midnight Bourbon defeated Mandaloun winning the G3 Lecomte, then finished third behind that colt in the Risen Star.

“He came out of the Preakness great, but he may have put the groundskeepers out of a job he was eating so much grass,” Fiske told the New York Racing Association media office. “He shipped back to Churchill and has been jogging great. There aren't any big target races after the Belmont prior to the Jim Dandy or Haskell, so we'll focus on those races for now.”

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‘Highly Touted’ Early, Winchell Hopes Pneumatic Delivers On That Promise In Preakness

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Pneumatic arrived at Pimlico early afternoon Tuesday for a start in Saturday's 145th Preakness Stakes (G1).

As racing manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds since 1980, David Fiske has seen horses such as Grade 1 winners Untapable, Tapizar and Summerly and graded-stakes winning millionaires Zanjero, Tapiture, Tenfold and Pyro come to hand.

In Pneumatic, who traveled by van from Saratoga, NY, Fiske sees a colt that is just now beginning to realize his potential.

A homebred by champion Uncle Mo out of the Tapit mare Teardrop, Pneumatic went unraced as a 2-year-old, spending time at the El Primero Training Center in Laredo, Texas owned and operated by Keith and Marilyn Asmussen. Their son, Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, is Pneumatic's trainer.

Pneumatic broke his maiden at first asking Feb. 15 at Oaklawn Park, getting up by a neck while sprinting six furlongs, then beat Captain Bombastic – already a stakes winner who would go on to win two more – his first time facing winners April 11.

“He came out of Laredo pretty highly touted and flashing some talent,” Fiske said.

Pneumatic made his stakes debut in the 1 1/16-mile Matt Winn (G3), battling for the lead through the Churchill Downs stretch before yielding and running third, beaten 1 ¾ lengths. That effort earned him a date in the June 20 Belmont Stakes (G1), the traditional third leg of the Triple Crown that was shortened to 1 1/8 miles and moved up to the leadoff spot due to the postponements of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness, finishing fourth.

“Like everybody else, we've had a little bit of trouble kind of getting our horses where we want them this year,” Fiske said. “The stakes schedule just got put into a blender. We're talking about the Preakness and it's the end of September.

“It's just been hard to get on a schedule and a rhythm and get the right prep races and stepping-stones in place for where you want to be. [Pneumatic] has kind of suffered from that a little bit this year, but he's doing well so hopefully he'll run well.”

In his most recent start, Pneumatic rolled to a popular 2 ¼-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Pegasus Aug. 15 at Monmouth Park under Joe Bravo, who will return to ride in the Preakness. They drew Post 10 in a field of 11 and were installed at 20-1 on the morning line.

Bravo has ridden in the Preakness four times, his best finish being his most recent, running fifth with Teeth of the Dog in 2012. Pneumatic prepared for the Preakness at the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga, following a bullet five-furlong move in 1:00.85 Sept. 21 with a maintenance half-mile in 50.20 seconds Sept. 28.

“Pneumatic is doing great. He seems to be coming up to the race in great shape,” Fiske said. “He's typically forwardly placed and he usually breaks well … so we'll see how it goes.”

Asmussen is also scheduled to saddle Max Player and Excession in his quest to win a third Preakness, having previously been victorious with Curlin (2007) and Rachel Alexandra (2009).

William H. Lawrence's Preakness contender Liveyourbeastlife arrived by van from Belmont shortly after Pneumatic Tuesday afternoon.

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