Pegasus World Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Impressive Maiden Winner Prevalence Could Show Up In Fountain Of Youth

Godolphin's sophomore homebred Prevalence, an impressive debut winner on the Pegasus World Cup (G1) undercard Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park, breezed Friday morning in anticipation of a possible start in the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) Saturday, Feb. 27.

With exercise rider and assistant trainer Tom Molloy up, Prevalence went five furlongs in 1:01 at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. It was the second work following his 8 ½-length maiden special weight triumph.

“He worked good and he galloped out good. We're happy with him,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “We're in good shape right now.”

Prevalence was sent off at 7-1 in his unveiling, which drew a full field of 12 including fellow first-time starter Stage Raider, a half-brother to 2018 Triple Crown champion Justify, and narrow favorite Holy Redeemer, by Blame.

After breaking a half-step slow, Prevalence quickly gathered himself and chased the pace for a quarter-mile before taking over the top spot through a half in 46.09 seconds. From there, the bay Medaglia d'Oro colt widened with each stride under a hand ride from Tyler Gaffalione, completing seven furlongs in 1:23.

“I thought he was a good horse before he ran, but did I expect him to do what he did? Absolutely not, especially one of mine first time out,” Walsh said. “They generally improve, so I would like to think that this guy has some improvement in him. We won't get too carried away. We'll move on to the next one, and he'll be given plenty of chances to prove himself as we go forward.”

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth is the next step for 3-year-olds on Gulfstream's road to the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa March 27. There is also an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles in the condition book for Thursday, Feb. 25.

“He ran so well at Gulfstream the last time we would probably like to keep him in something at Gulfstream. There's the Fountain of Youth and there's an allowance race there, as well. It's probably going to be one or the other,” Walsh said.

“We'll just see how he does here over the next few weeks and go from there. We'll let him tell us,” he added. “He'll probably have just a little work next weekend at some stage. If we go to the Fountain of Youth or the allowance race, he'll probably do a little bit next Friday or Saturday and that should set him up right.”

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‘His Weapon Is His Speed’: Cox Pleased With Knicks Go Ahead Of Trip To Saudi Arabia

Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go has been reported in great form ahead of his attempt to add the $20 million Saudi Cup to his big-race haul.

The 5-year-old guaranteed his place in the world's most valuable race when landing the Pegasus at Gulfstream Park last month. He had previously won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November.

His trainer Brad Cox was pleased with what he saw when Knicks Go completed his last breeze before travelling to Saudi Arabi ahead of the two-day Saudi Cup meeting on Feb. 19 and 20.

Cox revealed: “Knicks Go breezed very well on Saturday and he looked good on Sunday morning. I was very pleased with the work and, more importantly, how he looked after the work.

“Everything is going in the right direction. He's carrying his weight well and I'm happy with the way he's moving.

“The great horses like him are what you wake up for every morning. He's a fantastic horse and hopefully an international horse after Feb. 20.”

Knicks Go, owned by the Korea Racing Authority, galloped his rivals into the dirt in the Pegasus. He made all the running having started in his usual lightning-fast manner before pulling clear under Joel Rosario, who will again be on board in The Saudi Cup.

Cox admitted the impressive two-and-a-half length defeat of Jesus' Team, who was also runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, was not unexpected.

He said: “Going into the Pegasus he gave us a lot of confidence with the way he was training. We had the confidence he would perform well and he did – we were proud of the effort and he bounced out of it in good order.

“He proved in the Pegasus he can get 1800m (1 1/8 miles) at Grade 1 level against some very, very good horses so now we have to transfer that to a one-turn 1800m in Saudi. We're looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity.

“He's got a lot of speed and he can carry that speed over a mile or further. We're not going to take away anything that comes easy to him. His weapon is his speed but once the gate opens that's Joel's decision of where to place him, but you'd have to think he'll be in a very forward position in the race.”

Knicks Go will have to travel more than 7,000 miles to Saudi Arabia but Cox has no worries about his star coping with the journey or the course at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh.

He said: “It's the first time we've run a horse on the other side of the world so there's always a little bit of a concern, but I don't really feel it will be with him.

“He's got a great mind on him and he ships well. He obviously shipped to Gulfstream in good order and he doesn't get worked up – he knows when to shut it off and when to turn it on. He's got a lot of class so I really don't think it will be something that affects him at all.

“I've heard from a couple of horsemen that the track in Saudi has a great surface – very good to race on, so I'm excited about it.”

The magnitude of having one of the leading contenders for the world's most valuable race is not lost on Cox.

He added: “It's huge. It's something you dream about. It's only the second year of The Saudi Cup's existence but it's already captured the eyes of the entire racing world.

“It would be a tremendous accomplishment if we were able to win the race. It's an accomplishment in itself to have a horse that's capable of qualifying for it.”

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Knicks Go ‘In Great Shape’ After Pegasus Romp, Headed To Saudi Cup

Newly-minted champion trainer Brad Cox has been watching Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go very closely over the past week, and told the Thoroughbred Daily News that so long as all goes well with the Korea Racing Authority-owned colt's next breeze, he will be headed to Saudi Arabia for the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20.

“The owners would like to go to the Saudi Cup and they've made that clear,” Cox told the TDN. “I looked for a reason not to run him back in four weeks and he's given me no indication that would not be a good idea. That's why I've said I want to see him breeze one more time before we put him on a plane. He really rebounded from the Pegasus in great shape and in good order. He's not giving me any reason to not run him, so we're going to press forward.”

Plans call for Knicks Go to be shipped out on Monday, Feb. 8, and a strong showing in Saudi Arabia could lead the team to remain overseas for the $12 million Dubai World Cup on Mar. 27.

The 5-year-old son of Paynter first showed his talent with a win in the G1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in 2018, then a runner-up finish in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He did not see the winner's circle again until transferred to Cox's care in 2020, when he won a pair of allowance races and the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Following his dominant showing in the G1 Pegasus World Cup, Knicks Go's record stands at six wins, three seconds and a third from 18 starts with earnings of $3,088,995.

Also expected to make the trip to Saudi Arabia for the $20 million race are G1 Malibu winner Charlatan (Bob Baffert) and multiple G1-placed Tacitus (Bill Mott).

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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Jesus’ Team To Enter Dubai World Cup As ‘Fresh Horse’

Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team returned to the track at Palm Meadows Training Center Friday morning, kicking off preparation for a planned start in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) March 27.

Jesus' Team enjoyed a week of frolicking in a round pen at Gulfstream Park's satellite training center in Palm Beach County following his second-place finish in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream.

“He just jogged this morning,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said. “We're making a training schedule for Dubai.”

Jesus' Team's connections were looking to the $20 million Saudi Cup Feb. 20 as a possible target following the 4-year-old son of Tapiture's runner-up finish behind Knicks Go that pushed his career earnings over $1 million.

“Dubai will be Jesus' next race,” D'Angelo said. “We want a fresh horse for the Dubai World Cup.”

Jesus' Team won a $25,000 claiming race at Gulfstream May 8 after being transferred to D'Angelo's stable before going on the finish third in the Preakness Stakes (G1), second in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and rallying to finish second in the Pegasus World Cup.

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