Featuring more than $12.5-million in elevated purses and $7.5-million in incentives for both dirt and turf runners, there is a $5-million additional bonus on the line to the owner (s) of the horse who wins the 149th GI Preakness S., GI California Crown, and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

Turf horses will have a similar series and prize structure, with a $2.5-million bonus offered to the connections who win the GIII Dinner Party S., GII California Crown John Henry Turf, and GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.

Also included in the announcement was the news that the purse for the second jewel of the Triple Crown will increase to $2-million, and coupled with elevated purses in other contests, will make Preakness 149 Saturday the most lucrative in the event's history with $3.3-million to be won. The first race of the new series will run May 18 at Pimlico Race Course.

Replacing the Awesome Again S., the GI California Crown will debut on what is dubbed a 'reimagined opening day experience' Sept. 28 for Santa Anita Park's 2024 fall meet. The $1-million contest for 3-year-olds and older will run at 1 1/8-miles while the GII California Crown Eddie D. Turf Sprint and GII California Crown John Henry Turf will both feature $750,000 purses in what will be California's richest day of racing.

The anchor leg of the series goes to the 2025 Pegasus World Cup Jan. 25, which will feature the $3-million Invitational and $1-million Turf Invitational. The live broadcast will include the presentation of the potential $7.5-million bonus should any horse accomplish the feat of sweeping the series.

1/ST will also put up $5-million for a Coast-to-Coast Pick'Em Challenge sweepstakes, requiring fans and bettors to successfully pick the first four finishers of each series race, in order. It will be free to enter through the 1/ST betting app, and is there are no perfect winning entries, the most overall correct entry will win a $100,000 cash prize.

“My team and I continue to believe and invest in the modernization of Thoroughbred horse racing with a commitment to the highest level of international safety standards and horse care as we continue to elevate our already industry-leading wagering, entertainment and hospitality programs,” said 1/ST Chairwoman and CEO, Belinda Stronach.

“To back this up, 1/ST is adding to the legacy of the Preakness by increasing the purse, creating a new marquee race event for the majestic Santa Anita Park–The California Crown–and continuing to build on the phenomenal success of the Pegasus World Cup.  We're proud to work with incredible partners who share our vision and see the future of world-class Thoroughbred racing combined with unique and elevated guest experiences.”

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In a race completely dominated on the front end, Corporate Power (c, 3, Curlin–Road to Victory, by Quality Road) stamped himself as one to watch finishing with interest for fourth in an absolutely stacked maiden special weight on the Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27.

Out of the blocks last of 11 at debut odds of 17-1 for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the Courtlandt Farms colorbearer bumped into a rival at the start and was quickly outsprinted while under a ride by Javier Castellano.

Three from the back marker and taking plenty of dirt as the highly regarded firster from the Gustavo Delgado barn Victory Avenue (Arrogate) and the Todd Pletcher-trained newcomer Speak Easy (Constitution) sped through a half mile in :44.61, Corporate Power finally entered the picture advancing along the rail as they approached the top of the stretch.

He continued to make steady progress racing along the fence as Speak Easy kicked clear from the aforementioned 3-2 favorite an eighth of a mile from home.

Corporate Power, sporting a white shadow roll, was steered out by Castellano to avoid a tiring rival close to home and kept his mind on business from there–his gallop out past the winner on the clubhouse turn is worth a view of the replay alone–after splitting horses to cross the line 8 1/4 lengths adrift Speak Easy.

Corporate Power reported home fourth behind Speak Easy in a live maiden special weight on Pegasus World Cup day | Coglianese

Speak Easy, the recipient of a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, defeated Victory Avenue by 1 3/4 lengths at odds of 8-1. It was another 3 3/4 lengths back to second-time starter Big City (City of Light), who chased the top two throughout in third. The final time for seven furlongs was a swift 1:21.96.

Corporate Power earned an 84 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“Those maiden races on those big days are always loaded like that,” Courtland Farm Manager Ernie Retamoza said. “We really had a ton of regard for that colt going into the race and probably even a little more coming out of it. Javier (Castellano) was really complimentary about the way that he split horses and took some kickback and kept on and galloped out. We're super excited about him getting to two turns.”

Corporate Power's dam Road to Victory, a winner of her first three career starts at two, highlighted by a neck victory over subsequent two-time champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GII Golden Rod S., brought $1.45 million from breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings in foal to War Front at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Corporate Power's sire the mighty Curlin is responsible for 56 graded/group winners worldwide.

Corporate Power brought $925,000 from Donald Adam's operation on day three of the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling sale. Adam purchased 11 yearlings at the auction for a total of $8.235 million.

“When we bought him, the purchase price resembles how many people liked the horse,” Retamoza said. “We had him ready to run last November–he got himself ready pretty quick–but we ended up not running him up there (in New York) and Shug (McGaughey) said, 'Let's just get him down to Florida.' We didn't run him quite as quick as we thought we might, but nonetheless, here we are and we're really happy with him.”

Corporate Power returned to the worktab with a four-furlong breeze in :50.60 (28/34) at Payson Park Feb. 11. He'll make his next start in a route, Retamoza said.

“Shug hasn't shared with us when yet, but it's all systems go to a two-turn spot,” Retamoza said. “We're all looking forward to that. It was a great effort to get him started. We're really excited about him.”

Courtlandt Farms and McGaughey also campaign fellow sophomores Change of Command (Into Mischief) ($1.05 million yrl '22 KEESEP), a disappointing 11th in last weekend's GIII Sam F. Davis S. and 'TDN Rising Star' Conquest Warrior (City of Light) ($1 million yrl '22 KEESEP), who overcame an impossible trip to graduate impressively at second asking Jan. 13. Working bullets since, the latter will make his next start in either an allowance race Feb. 29 or the GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 2, per Retamoza.

The 'Second Chances' Honor Roll is headed by recently crowned Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin), fellow two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) and GISWs A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo), Honor A. P. (Honor Code), Locked (Gun Runner), Paradise Woods (Union Rags) and Speaker's Corner (Street Sense).

Tipsy Tammy (f, 3, Arrogate), featured in this same space Jan. 26, graduated impressively next out for trainer Phil Bauer at Fair Grounds Feb. 1. Godolphin homebred Cornishman (c, 3, Curlin), the subject of a Second Chances profile Feb. 7, is entered to make his second career start in a maiden special weight on Saturday's GII Risen Star S. program.

#1 SPEAK EASY ($18.60) and #5 Victory Avenue smoked home and @iradortiz gets the son of Constitution up for a Race 2 victory at Gulfstream Park. Congratulations to the @PletcherRacing team and owners @SienaFarmKY and @WinStarFarm. pic.twitter.com/hRjmMUyV46

— TVG (@TVG) January 27, 2024

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“I'm proud of him. He ran his race. He showed up,” said Baffert by phone from Southern California. “That's all you can ask for as a trainer. He was prepping well for it.”

Baffert also won the Pegasus World Cup with Arrogate (2017) and Mucho Gusto (2020).

“I've always thought he was that good a horse,” Baffert added. “He was just very immature and he's getting better and better, the way he's training. He trained much better than he was going into the Breeders' Cup.”

Flavien Prat was intent on being a forward factor aboard the 5-2 post-time favorite, but John Velazquez aboard GII Cigar Mile H. hero Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft) had similar designs on the lead.

Hoist the Gold showed the way with National Treasure a pressing second through taxing fractions of :23.18 and :46.32. National Treasure came after Hoist the Gold with a quarter mile to race and kicked for home as the one to catch.

In the meantime, GI Breeders' Cup Classic seventh and Cigar Mile runner-up Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) was winding up with an inside run on the far turn and would have had every chance given the shape of the race.

It seemed inevitable that he'd race right by National Treasure in the deciding stages, but the latter had just enough in reserve to take it by a long neck. Crupi (Curlin) closed from last of 12 to finish third at longshot odds.

“He's very brave. Obviously, a great job by Bob,” Prat said of the winner. “He's always on point. It's been a great pleasure riding [National Treasure].”

National Treasure, a solid third in the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland, followed his Preakness win with a sixth-place finish in the GI Belmont S., a fifth-place finish in the GI Travers S. and a fourth-place finish in the GI Awesome Again S. He just got tagged by a nose by Cody's Wish at the Championships.

National Treasure is campaigned by the powerful partnership of SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan.

“It's a wonderful partnership,” SF Racing's Tom Ryan said. “Great group of people that have stood behind us the whole way throughout over the last five or six years. Bob has taken us to places that we probably didn't feel we could arrive. This horse, what he did today, sitting off a horse, showed a new dimension. He's going to be a very nice 4-year-old.”

'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense), a narrow runner-up in the GII Clark S. and the 5-2 second choice, showed a little early speed before fading to ninth for trainer Brad Cox, who had saddled Knicks Go for a victory in the 2021 Pegasus World Cup.

“Just didn't handle the track at all. A lot of dirt hitting him in the face. He didn't seem like he wanted to go forward through it,” Cox said. “Luis [Saez] said at the half-mile pole he didn't move forward when asked. Pretty simple watching the race on television, I kind of thought going up the backside he was struggling with the ground. Regroup and see what happens.”

Pedigree Notes:

National Treasure, a $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling purchase, is among the 15 Grade/Group 1 winners by leading sire Quality Road. Quality Road, winner of this race's predecessor (GI Donn H.) in 2010, also sired the 2019 Pegasus winner City of Light.

National Treasure was bred by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds, who retained his dam Treasure–a maiden of seven career start–after she RNA'd for $375,000 as a yearling at the 2013 Keeneland September Sale. Treasure is also responsible for the stakes winner Ultimate (Speightstown) and last year's GI Hopeful S. third-place finisher and 'TDN Rising Star' Pirate (Omaha Beach), who commanded $350,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. Treasure's 2-year-old Authentic filly has been named Renoir. Treasure delivered a full brother to National Treasure Jan. 19.

A treasure for a treasure! #7 NATIONAL TREASURE ($7.20) holds of a rallying Senor Buscador to win the $3,000,000 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes!

The Preakness Stakes winner was ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Bob Baffert. pic.twitter.com/5pdKVlydwx

— TVG (@TVG) January 27, 2024

Saturday, Gulfstream
PEGASUS WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL S. PRESENTED BY BACCARAT-GI, $2,932,700, Gulfstream, 1-27, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:50.51, ft.
1–NATIONAL TREASURE, 123, c, 4, by Quality Road
               1st Dam: Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Proposal, by Mt. Livermore
                3rd Dam: Lady of Choice, by Storm Bird
($500,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing,
Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables
LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and
Catherine Donovan; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat. $1,719,000. Lifetime Record:
11-3-2-2, $3,322,000. *1/2 to Ultimate (Speightstown), SW,
$395,778 and Pirate (Omaha Beach), GISP. Werk Nick Rating:
A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Senor Buscador, 123, h, 6, Mineshaft–Rose's Desert, by
Desert God. O-Joe R. Peacock, Jr.; B-Joe R Peacock Sr. & Joe R
Peacock Jr. (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher. $573,000.
3–Crupi, 123, c, 4, Curlin–Don'tforgetaboutme, by Malibu
Moon. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($275,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias
Stables LLC; B-Claiborne Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$286,500.
Margins: NK, 4HF, 6 1/4. Odds: 2.60, 8.90, 34.00.
Also Ran: Hoist the Gold, O'Connor (Chi), Il Miracolo, Dynamic One, Nimitz Class, First Mission, Trademark, Grand Aspen, Skippylongstocking. Scratched: Castle Chaos.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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The inside four horses, all first-time starters, headline Pegasus World Cup day at Gulfstream Park Saturday. BATTEN DOWN (Tapit) kicks things off for Bill Mott who looks to capitalize on a huge Eclipse Awards night with this Juddmonte homebred. A son of champion older mare Close Hatches, this colt is out of a full-sister to MGISP Lockdown, herself the dam of newly-crowned champion 3-year-old filly Idiomatic (Curlin). He is also a full-brother to MGSW/MGISP Tacitus and from the family of G1 Tattersalls Irish Two Thousands Guineas winner Siskin (First Defence).

Corporate Power (Curlin) brought $925,000 as a yearling at KEENOV in 2022 for Courtlandt Farms and trainer Shug McGaughey. Out of GSW Road to Victory, herself a $1.45m Stonestreet buy at FTKNOV 2019, the colt counts Japanese G1SW Moanin (Henny Hughes) as an extended family member.

The first of two Todd Pletcher entries, My True Colors (Munnings) sold for $600,000 at Keeneland as a yearling. Already a half to GSP Valletta (Into Mischief), he traces back to MGISW A.P. Indian (Indian Charlie).

Breaking from the rail is the other Pletcher entry, Speak Easy (Constitution), a homebred for WinStar Farm and Sienna Farm, is out of GISP Fun. WinStar purchased the GI Darley Alcibiades third for $400,000 at FTKNOV in 2017 and this is her second foal to race. TJCIS PPS

2nd-FG, 57K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 4:28 p.m.

$1.7m yearling Gun Party (Curlin) debuts for Three Chimneys Farm and Winchell Thoroughbreds. The Steve Asmussen trainee is out of GI Acorn S. winner Carina Mia who last sold to Japan's Shadai Farm for $2.6m at FTKNOV in 2021. The dam is half to MGISW Miss Match (Arg) (Indygo Shiner) and to the dam of MSW/MGSP Super Chow (Lord Nelson) along with juvenile SW Princess Indy (Lord Nelson). TJCIS PPS

5th-FG, $57K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 6:19 p.m.

A pair of homebreds, both racing for Steve Asmussen, make their debuts at the Fair Grounds. Lady Ariel (Curlin) from Stonestreet is out of SW/MGSP Steph Being Steph.

To her outside, Just Better (Justify) wears the Whisper Hill colors. Mandy Pope picked up her dam, Betterbetterbetter (Ire), for a sale-topping $5.2m at FTKNOV in 2013. The dam is a half to Irish high-weighted filly Yesterday (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and to G1SW Quarter Moon (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) amongst many others in a deep European family. TJCIS PPS

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The TAA will have a race named on both the Friday and Saturday programs. On Friday, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will present Race 6: “Congratulations Fasig-Tipton TAA Auction Winners” alongside Fasig-Tipton, the winning bidder of last year's Off to the Races VIP Pegasus Package. Post time is set for 2:39 PM ET.

On Saturday, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will present Race 10, the Grade II 'TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational S.', which has a post time of 3:45 PM ET. Winners of both named races will receive a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance blanket and a gift bag with branded merchandise. In recognition of their enduring collaboration, 1/ST RACING will present Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance with a generous check donation following the named race at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Representatives from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Board of Directors and its accredited organizations will be present for the check presentation.

“We're thrilled to have Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance join us again at the Pegasus World Cup,” said Nicole Walker, Vice President of The Stronach Group. “Their amazing dedication to ensuring the well-being of these incredible animals on and off the racetrack deserves to be recognized, plus their wonderful presence adds to our celebration of racing excellence.”

The TAA will present 'best turned-out' awards, sponsored by Centennial Farm, for each of Saturday's 14 races. The winning groom and horse will be recognized by the track announcer and will be promoted across TAA's social media accounts. Award recipients will recent a TAA gift bag with branded merchandise.

“Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is extremely excited to be part of Pegasus World Cup for another year,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, operations consultant at Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “It's a testament to our shared commitment to the care and support of these exceptional athletes. We're thrilled to continue our long-time partnership with Pegasus, uniting for the betterment of retired Thoroughbred racehorses in this prestigious racing event.”

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Murphy, 28, is the more familiar of the two. He was the British flat champion jockey three years running in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and has ridden Group I winners in Great Britain, Ireland, France, Canada, Germany, Japan, the UAE and in the U.S. His three Grade I wins in the U.S. came in the GI Belmont Oaks, the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. and in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff with the Japanese invader Marche Lorraine (Orfevre {Jpn}).

While flat racing quiets down in the winter in Europe, Murphy had been traveling all over the world to compete in big races, going to places like Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. But the chance to settle in at one track in the winter, one that offers good purses and perfect weather, appealed to him. Gulfstream also represents a chance to master a new surface–dirt.

“I wanted to try to get some more experience on dirt,” he said. “At Gulfstream, most of the important races are on dirt. There will be ample opportunities to get plenty of rides and ride over what is an important surface. It's important for me to show that I can win races over all surfaces.”

Murphy is the retained jockey for Qatar Racing, the global racing and bloodstock operation founded and chaired by Sheikh Fahad bin Abdullah Al Thani and is the presenting sponsor of the Pegasus World Cup card. Murphy can count on riding the Qatar Racing horses that show up in the entries during the Gulfstream Championship meet.

“I have been watching American racing since I was a kid and I had always wanted to do a little stint in the States,” he said. “The opportunity came up for me this time. Sheikh Fahad, who heads Qatar Racing, had a conversation with [Chief Executive Officer 1/ST Racing and Gaming] Aidan Butler and he said he thought it would be a good idea for me to come here. I will try to do the best that I can, stay busy in the mornings and make a real effort to ride to the best of my abilities in the afternoon.”

Murphy plans to joining the Gulfstream colony Dec. 27 and, except for a trip to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Cup Card, intends to ride full time at Gulfstream at least until through January.

“From the first time I stepped across the Atlantic and came to the U.S,. I wanted to ride against these top guys,” said Murphy, who is 4-for-31 lifetime in the U.S. “I won the Belmont Oaks on Aspen Grove, won the Queen Elizabeth II on Mawj and I won a Breeders' Cup race in the Distaff. I have a huge amount of respect for the top riders here. Hopefully, riding against them will help me pick up a huge amount of knowledge and help me to learn their riding styles. I already have a good relationship with those guys.

Like Murphy, Levey, 35, is looking for new opportunities and a challenge. He said he usually spent his winters riding on the all-weather tracks in Great Britain, but wanted to try something different.

“I think I'm at the point in my career where I've been riding on the all-weather tracks in England during the winter for quite a few years,” he said. “There's nothing more that I can learn. This is a great opportunity to do something different and to put me in a good place for the season ahead. I was put in touch with the right people and they were looking for European riders to take part in the festival over here. It was an opportunity. It's not just the better weather, it's the better prize money. There are a lot of things that are better about riding here versus in the winter back home.”

Levey was born in Swaziland and his father was a jockey who rode all over Europe. In 2001, the family moved to County Tipperary, Ireland, where his parents worked at Ballydoyle for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Levey rode out for O'Brien and, together with his brother Declan, spent a year on the pony racing circuit. He started riding professionally in Ireland before moving on to Great Britain. He's won six Group I races, four in the U.K. and two in France.

He said he has made some connections with U.S. trainers when coming over with O'Brien horses for the Breeders' Cup and other major events. He's also spent some time in the U.S. working as an exercise rider.

“I'm hoping to make more contacts, but I worked with Saffie Joseph and he said come here and see what we can do,” Levey said. “I also have worked for Brendan Walsh.

“I'm coming over with no other plan than to gain as much experience as I can,” he said. “I'm coming over here with an open mind and will try to get as many rides as I can and gain as much experience as I can. If that comes with my getting a few winners that would be great. I'm coming here to be competitive. I know how many good riders are here and I know that lessens my chances of getting some good rides. It will be very competitive. But once I get my foot in the door that will lead to my getting a few winners.”

Levey hopes to begin riding next week and says his work visa lasts for 90 days.

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With three more winning rides on Sunday's closing day program, Ortiz finished the Championship Meet with 128 victories to reclaim the jockey title for the winter Thoroughbred session.

Ortiz ran away with this year's title while finishing 57 wins ahead of the Luis Saez, who finished three wins ahead of third-place Jose Ortiz.

“I've had big support from the owners and trainers. They support me. Thanks to them. If I don't have their help, I can't do anything,” Irad Ortiz Jr. said Sunday. “At the same time, my agent Steve (Rushing) has done a great job. He does everything he can, every single day to get horses for me. I thank God for keeping me healthy and being available to do this every single day.”

Ortiz, who had a 28% strike rate during the Championship Meet, also led the purses-won standings with $7.39 million.

“I try to prepare as much as I can for every horse, every day. I just like to prepare myself to get to know every single horse to get an advantage, that's important,” Ortiz said.

Saffie Joseph Jr. made a successful title defense of the Championship Meet by a 47-41 margin over Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“Last year was huge because it was the first time we had done it. I think this one even means more to comeback and prove it again. It gives the whole team a lot of confidence,” Joseph said. “I have a lot of appreciation for all the owners' support. It's a blessing from God.”

Keeping his training title didn't come easy.

“Todd really gave us a fight for this. Last year, we always had the momentum. This year, we weren't separated by more than two wins most of the time. He went ahead by two in mid-February.  After that we got some momentum and were able to hold him off. It mean's a lot.”

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Then, it was reported last week, that horses currently trained by Baffert must be sent to another trainer by Feb. 28. If not, they will not be eligible for qualifying points for the Derby. Last year, he didn't have to turn over his Derby hopefuls to another stable until just prior to the last round of Derby preps, races like the GI Santa Anita Derby and the GI Arkansas Derby.

With just about any other trainer, these penalties could have been a major setback, with owners sending their horses to new barns. But Baffert is not any other trainer. When it comes to winning Triple Crown races he is arguably the best there has ever been and owners know that teaming up with him improves their chances of winning the sport's most coveted races, even if he might not be the trainer of their horses when it comes Derby time. No one walked away.

So it's no surprise that Baffert has not suffered the “irreparable harm” that his lawyers kept arguing would be the case when contesting the suspensions. But no one could have foreseen what was to come, that Baffert would emerge from this with more firepower than he has ever had.

That was on full display last weekend. Baffert won the GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn with Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo). The next day he captured the GII San Vicente S. with Havnameltdown (Uncaptured), a race in which he sent out three of the four starters. But nothing shined a light on Baffert's dominance quite like the list of nominees for the GIII Robert B. Lewis S., which was released Saturday. Sixteen horses were nominated and 14 are trained by Baffert. He very well could be the only trainer to have a horse in next Saturday's race.

The list of owners of the horses nominated for the Lewis is a stellar group, individuals and partnerships who have remained fiercely loyal to Baffert. You have Zedan Racing Stables, Michael Lund Petersen, the Pegram, Watson, Weitman partnership and the SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables partnership.

The list of Lewis nominees does not include Cave Rock (Arrogate). The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up who was Baffert's best 2-year-old last year, Cave Rock, as of Sunday, had not had a published workout in 2023, not a good sign with the Derby just 95 days away.

Baffert's weekend also included a win in the GIII Las Virgenes S. for 3-year-old fillies with Faiza (Girvin) and a second-place finish with Defunded (Dialed In) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

None of which means that Baffert, or whomever is brought in prior to the Derby, has to win the race, but they will likely head to Churchill with a very strong hand, one led by Arabian Knight. After an electric win in his debut Nov. 5 at Keeneland, he had no problem with the next test, two turns and stakes competition in the Southwest. While GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Forte (Violence) has accomplished more than Arabian Knight, the Baffert runner, who cost $2.3 million at the OBS April sale, has been so impressive that he looks like the leader of the division and he tops the TDN's Derby Top 12. Look for him to take the Oaklawn route to the Derby and follow in the footsteps of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), who won the GII Rebel S. and the Arkansas Derby on his way to Louisville.

The most starters Baffert has ever had in the Derby is three, which he has done four times. Last year, Tim Yakteen, subbing for Baffert, had two. Could Baffert, or whomever is brought in to deputize, have six or seven starters in this year's race? It seems entirely possible. And after the Derby has been run, the last of the suspensions or bans that Baffert has been hit with, will be over. He can move on.

With the two-year anniversary of Medina Spirit having tested positive in the Derby coming up, the Hall of Fame trainer has proved his resiliency and his major owners have all stood by him. It's no doubt been a trying two years for Baffert, but it could have been a lot worse. He's stronger than ever.

Numbers Plummet at Sam Houston

For those of you who missed it, Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) won Saturday's GIII Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston and Scarlet Fusion (Curlin) captured the GIII John Connally Turf Cup. Not that hardly anybody was able to watch or wager on those races.

You have to feel bad for Sam Houston management, which has done a good job over the years promoting what it calls the Houston Racing Festival. The event has given the track some needed exposure over the years and brought in some good horses. Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) won the Ladies Classic in 2019 and Letruska (Super Saver) captured the race in 201.

But this year, thanks to a hissy fit from the Texas Racing Commission, the Saturday card at Sam Houston was all but invisible. The Texas racing regulators pulled the plug on the simulcasting of all races in the state after declaring that the advent of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act meant it was illegal to send the races out of state. So, unless you were present in Texas Saturday, you could neither watch nor bet on the Sam Houston races. With no betting being taken on the races, none of the major ADWs showed the Sam Houston races.

The results were predictable. The handle on the day was $488,385. Last year, when the races were run on a Sunday, the handle was $5,698,052. That's a decline of 91.4%.

The Texas tracks get some of their purse money from a fund that comes from sales taxes on horse feed, tack and other horse-related products and services. But trying to maintain purses when the handle is next to nothing is not feasible. Meanwhile, the Texas Racing Commission continues to cut off its nose to spite its face, putting the future of racing in the state in jeopardy.

At Pegasus World Cup, Business is Booming

1/ST Racing has put a lot of its resources behind turning a day at the races into an event. The best example is Pegasus World Cup Day. By combining a stellar day of racing, a $3-million race and a number of on-track entertainment options, 1/ST has turned the day into a horse racing party.

That might not appeal to everyone as there are surely a lot of curmudgeonly horseplayers who could do without having to pay a good dollar to attend and have no interest in listening to musical acts whose audience are Gen Z-ers. But it is working. They handled $43,886,543 Saturday at Gulfstream. Up until 2016, the race was not the Pegasus but the GI Donn H. and the likes of Kygo, OneRepublic and Joe Jonas were nowhere to be found. In the last year of the Donn, the handle was $19,954,971. It has more than doubled since.

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MAGE (c, 3, Good Magic–Puca {SW & GSP, $299,406}, by Big Brown), dismissed by the betting public at 11-1 in his debut start despite selling for $290,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale, avoided trouble with a forward ride out of the gate, setting the early pace from just off the rail. Positioned inside of pressure from Perform (Good Magic) through the half-mile in :45.88, Mage hit his best stride past the quarter pole and drew off nicely down the lane, hitting the wire 3 3/4 lengths ahead of Bourbon Resolve (Hard Spun). A son of 'TDN Rising Star' and GSP Puca–herself a half-sister to GISW Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB})–Mage is a half-brother to SP Gunning (Gun Runner). His 2-year-old full-sister brought $325,000 from Oracle Bloodstock at last year's Keeneland September Sale and Puca foaled a colt by McKinzie last year. Sales History: $235,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $290,000 2yo '22 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-OGMA Investments, LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC & CMNWLTH; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-Gustavo Delgado.

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Horses shipping in during the quarantine period, including those for Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup, will be exclusively stabled at designated ship-in barns. The ship-in barns are a half-mile from Barn 21, which is located at the opposite end of the Gulfstream Park facility.

“We thank the Florida State Veterinary officials for their quick response and for acknowledging the immediate measures taken by our team at Gulfstream Park to identify and contain the recent positive EHV. I would also like to thank them for the ongoing support of the horsemen, backstretch personnel and our team as we continue to safely race and train,” Dr. Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer for 1/ST Racing said.

Quarantine protocols include:
-Installation of a perimeter fencing barrier around Barn 21
-Daily veterinary inspection of Barn 21 with twice-daily logged temperature checks
-Strict entry into Barn 21 regulated by security
-Access to Barn 21 strictly limited to essential/necessary personnel only
-Biosecurity protocols required at exit:
-Footbaths changed regularly
-Grooms, trainers, exercise riders and farriers must leave premises after being in Barn 21
-Veterinarians must wear Tyvek suits, plastic boots, and gloves when in Barn 21
-Any equipment must be sterilized prior to leaving quarantine area
-Barn 21 quarantine will be in effect for a minimum of 21-days (no racing permitted)
-Quarantine horses will train separately and access the racetrack through a separate path
-All ship-in horses for racing for the duration of the quarantine period will be stabled at the designated ship-in barns
-Gulfstream Park will notify relevant stakeholders once the quarantine period has been lifted

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