Pegasus World Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Weekend Lineup Presented By DRFBets: Heavyweights Take Flight At Gulfstream

The Breeders' Cup winners showdown between Knicks Go and Life is Good in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup is the highlight of this weekend's graded stakes action. The 1 1/8-mile showdown is the centerpiece of a seven-stakes card at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, which also features the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf in which 2021 winner Colonel Liam will attempt to defend his title off a lengthy layoff.

Also on Saturday, Kentucky Derby points are on the line at Oaklawn Park as Smarty Jones winner Dash Attack takes on undefeated California shipper Newgrange in the G3 Southwest Stakes.

Sunday's action is highlighted by the Houston Ladies Classic card at Sam Houston Race Park, as well as the G2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Saturday

3:03 PM – G2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park

Emotions ran high after last year's $200,000 Inside Information (G2) at Gulfstream Park, when durable mare Pacific Gale ended a 17-race losing streak with her first graded triumph for the widow of one of trainer John Kimmel's longest clients, who passed away just a month before.

It could be a similarly emotional afternoon Saturday when the 7-year-old Pacific Gale returns to Gulfstream with a chance to defend her title in what will be the final start of a long and successful career.

Kimmel said Holly Hill Stables' Pacific Gale will be bred to champion Uncle Mo following the Inside Information, a race she won by 2 ¾ lengths at odds of 16-1 last winter after finishing sixth in 2019. Pacific Gale was booked to Not This Time for 2021, but was doing so well that Kimmel convinced the late Mike Morton's widow, Tobey, to give her another try.

Inside Information Entries

3:36 PM – G3 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park

Fully recovered from a career-threatening injury that cost her all of 2020, Shifty She, with her distinctive name and background, is ready for a stern test Saturday in the inaugural running of the TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Presented by PEPSI (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Peter Brant's Grade 1 winner Regal Glory, trained by Chad Brown, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the 1 1/16 miles turf test that drew a field of 11 stakes runners. Regal Glory will start from Post No. 4 with jockey Jose Ortiz. The lineup includes Robert amd Lawana Low's Sweet Melania, who edged Shifty She in the Suwannee River (G3) on Dec. 18, and Team Valor's Irish-bred Wakanaka, who will make her U.S. debut.

The $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf is the newest addition to Gulfstream Park's program of seven graded stakes topped by the sixth running of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) present by 1/ST Bet.

Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Entries

4:49 PM – G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, thrilling winner of last year's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) in his graded-stakes debut, will end a 239-day gap between starts as he launches his comeback while attempting to defend his title in the richest turf race of the winter Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Colonel Liam will become one of only five horses to run in the Pegasus Turf more than once, a group led by California-based Next Shares, who took part in each of the first three editions. Cross Border, third behind Colonel Liam and Pletcher-trained stablemate Largent last year, as well as Sacred Life and Channel Cat, respectively fourth and 10th in 2020, also return this year.

During Tuesday's post-position draw inside Gulfstream's Sport of Kings Theater, Colonel Liam was made the narrow 3-1 favorite among 11 stakes winners, nine of them graded, including fellow Grade 1 winners Channel Cat and Hit the Road. Second choice on the morning line at 7-2 is stablemate Never Surprised, with Sacred Life (6-1) and Hit the Road (8-1) the others listed at single-digit odds.

Pegasus Turf Entries

5:22 PM – G3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park

Trainer Bob Baffert has the 2-1 program favorite in unbeaten Newgrange (2 for 2) for Oaklawn Park's second Kentucky Derby points race, this Saturday's $250,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds. Baffert bids for a record-tying fifth victory in Saturday's Grade 3 Southwest, now worth $750,000 as well as 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

he 1 1/16-mile Southwest will mark the first start outside California for Newgrange, who exits a front-running victory in the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) at one mile Jan. 1 at Santa Anita. (Baffert trainees are not eligible for Kentucky Derby points, due to a ban by Churchill Downs.)

Oaklawn conducted its first Kentucky Derby points race New Year's Day, with the Kenny McPeek-trained Dash Attack splashing home to a two-length victory in the $250,000 Smarty Jones at 1 mile.

Six other Smarty Jones starters are entered in the Southwest, which goes as the ninth of 11 races. Racing begins Saturday at 12:02 p.m. (Central), with probable post for the Southwest 4:22 p.m.

Southwest Entries

5:34 PM – Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park

Knicks Go has returned to Gulfstream Park for a highly anticipated title defense in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), which promises to provide Korea Racing Authority's Thoroughbred star with an opportunity to close out a remarkable racing career in style.

Knicks Go, who was installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine older horses after drawing the No. 1 post position, produced a dazzling 2 ¾-length victory in last year's Pegasus World Cup that would set the tone for a dominating campaign that is widely expected to earn him the 2021 Horse of the Year title next month. The 6-year-old son of Paynter, who is coming off an impressive 2 ¾-length triumph in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar, is riding a spectacular four-race winning streak in which he has beaten his opponents by a total off 21 ½ lengths while flashing his brilliant natural speed from start to finish. Knicks Go was named the 2021 Longines World' Best Racehorse during a virtual ceremony Tuesday at the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, England.

It remains to be seen if the Brad Cox trainee will be able to defend his title in his usual front-running fashion before starting his stallion career. This year's Pegasus World Cup has also attracted CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC's Life Is Good, who has won six of seven career starts from gate to wire, including a scintillating 5 ¾-length victory in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar.

Life Is Good, who was rated second at 7-5 in the morning line after drawing the No. 4 post position, was top rated on last year's Road to the Kentucky Derby when he won his first three starts on the front end impressively but was sent to the sidelines with an injury. After being transferred to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, the son of Into Mischief was upset by Jackie's Warrior by a head in the seven-furlong Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga in late August. He came back to capture the one-mile Kelso (G2) at Belmont by 5 ½ lengths and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in front-running style.

Pegasus Entries

Sunday

5:53 PM – G3 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston

Now in its tenth running, the Houston Ladies Classic, at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, has been a springboard for top older fillies and mares The purse was boosted to $400,000 this year (from $300,000) in its previous editions and Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen will go for his third victory with Stonestreet Stable LLC's homebred Pauline's Pearl. The filly by Tapit out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick, drew post position three with Joel Rosario riding the 6-5 morning line favorite. He and Asmussen have teamed successfully of late; Rosario guided La Crete to victory in Saturday's Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds.

The Mary Rose, bred and owned in Arkansas, by Shortleaf Stable, Inc, will ship to Houston from Oaklawn Park on Thursday, according to her trainer John Alexander Ortiz. He has conditioned the 5-year-old Macho Uno mare since last summer, with four on the board placings in five starts. She finished her 2021 season with an impressive seven-length score in a $50,000 allowance at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 31.

Houston Ladies Classic Entries

6:23 PM – G3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston

Trainer Mike Maker has won seven of the past ten editions of the mile and one-half stakes which is run on the Connally Turf Course, named for the late Texas Governor John B. Connally. The esteemed conditioner will saddle three entrants, with a fourth possibility if Shady McGee draws in from the also-eligible list.

Maker's runners this year will include 2021 Connally runner-up, Ajourneytofreedom, who drew post position 11 at odds of 7-2. Owned by Paradise Farm Corp. and David Staudacher, the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun, will be making his 23rd career start. The bay gelding exits the H. Allen Jerkens, a 2-mile feature at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 24. Nationally prominent rider Joel Rosario, who was aboard in the G2 Jockey Gold Cup last June at Belmont Park, has the call.

Connally Entries

TBA – G2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita

At the top of his game at age seven, trainer Phil D'Amato's venerable gelding Say the Word, fresh off a big come from behind victory in his most recent start, heads a compact field of six older horses going a mile and one quarter on turf in Sunday's Grade 2, $225,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Third to Say the Word in the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup Nov. 26, Friar's Road came up a nose short as the 3-5 favorite in the G3 San Gabriel Stakes here on Dec. 26 and will hope for better luck going an extra furlong.

Irish-bred Lincoln Hawk, although trying graded stakes competition for the first time since running a close fifth at 28-1 five starts back in the G2 Del Mar Derby, could certainly qualify as a “now” horse as he comes off an impressive allowance tally over the course at a mile and one eighth.

With a short field and what appears to be a dearth of front-running speed, eight-year-old Acclimate, a highly accomplished California-bred gelding, could be long gone on the San Marcos lead.

Throw in San Gabriel winner Bob and Jackie, who will be tasked with keeping Acclimate busy early, and the San Marcos looks to be very competitive affair.

San Marcos Entries

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By DRFBets: Heavyweights Take Flight At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Bittersweet Endings and New Beginnings at GreenMount

All good things must come to an end, they say, so on Friday Sabrina Moore, who co-bred the horse recently named the 2021 Longines World's Best Racehorse, boarded one last flight to watch Knicks Go (Paynter) make his final career start in the GI Pegasus World Cup before he begins stud duty at Taylor Made Farm.

Foaled at the Moores' GreenMount Farm in Reisterstown, Maryland, Knicks Go has taken his doting breeder to winner's circles most only dream of reaching. The story of a young horsewoman breeding a champion racehorse captivated many, with racing publications and local news outlets clamoring for interviews and visits to the farm throughout Knicks Go's ascension to stardom.

“It's funny, I keep telling people that I'm not sure how many times I can tell the same story over and over,” Moore said with a laugh. “I've used the word surreal a lot. Even now, it still feels surreal. He has opened a lot of doors for me as far as networking and meeting people. He's super special and always will be.”

Moore said that usually, she doesn't get too nervous before his races until a few hours before post time. But this week in the days leading up to Knicks Go's final start, the butterflies arrived early–perhaps because yes, she hopes Knicks Go can go out on a high note, but also because maybe she knows that as he crosses the wire, a life-changing chapter closes for them both.

“I've been trying not to think about it because I'm not sure how I feel about it yet,” she admitted. “It will be different and very weird. I guess I'll find out how I feel about it on Saturday. You wait your whole life to get a horse like this and I highly doubt I'll get another one. So I guess you just regroup and do the best you can to duplicate the process.”

First-time breeder Rodney Williams and his Mo Town filly | photo courtesy Sabrina Moore

Life may be quieter at GreenMount Farm once Knicks Go is out of the spotlight, but it certainly won't be any less busy. Moore estimates that this year she will be foaling out over 20 mares between clients' mares and their own broodmare band and already, foaling season is underway at GreenMount.

The first foal arrived on Jan 22. and Moore said the newborn's story reminds her of her own early days as a breeder.

The robust youngster, a filly by Mo Town, is the first foal for industry newcomer and first-time breeder Rodney Williams.

Over the past five years, Williams has owned several Midlantic-based claiming-level horses and despite many cautioning him against it, the Baltimore native decided to try out the breeding game.

A medical device manager, Williams discovered his passion for racing when he spent his childhood summers alongside his grandfather, a high school principal and lifelong racing fan, bouncing between Bowie, Pimlico and Timonium racetracks.

In 2018, following the passing of his grandfather, Williams was able to achieve both their dreams by purchasing Lovely Girl (Bodemeister), a maiden claimer running at Mahoning Valley. When Lovely Girl ran a close second at Timonium a few months later, he lost his voice for two days. Then when she won her first race, he knew there was no turning back.

After Lovely Girl's win, a breeder approached Williams about purchasing her. He reluctantly agreed, but couldn't stop thinking about the 'what if's' of if he had kept her as a broodmare himself.

Meanwhile, he had his eye on another race filly named Ask Siri (Union Rags). He had lost the shake to claim her three times, so when it came time for her to retire, he was able to purchase her privately. Williams connected with Moore through a mutual friend and after Ask Siri was bred to Mo Town, the maiden mare returned to Maryland and arrived at GreenMount Farm.

As the foaling date approached, Williams did his research and compiled a list of everything he could do in order to prepare for the new foal. He even volunteered for foal watch at GreenMount, but Moore assured him that she had everything under control.

“I told him not to worry and reminded him that this is what he was paying me for,” Moore said with a laugh.

On Saturday morning, Williams woke up to a text at 6 a.m. His foal had arrived. He pulled through the gates at GreenMount roughly 15 minutes later.

“I just couldn't believe it,” he recounted. “She was already standing up and nursing. 'Siri' was totally calm and she was looking at me like, 'What's your problem? I've got this.'”

Ask Siri (Union Rags) and her Mo Town filly | photo courtesy Sabrina Moore

Asked to compare the experiences of a racehorse owner and a breeder, Williams was quick to answer, “It's completely different, but just as exciting. As a racehorse owner, it's just two minutes. There's anxiety when they're getting in the gate, but after those two minutes, all that really matters is that they come back healthy. With breeding, you have a whole year of stress. It's a process that requires a lot of patience, but once they're born, all your research and your conversation with people comes to fruition and it's a pretty darn good feeling”

As long as the name is approved, the daughter of Ask Siri will fittingly be called Ask Alexa.

Williams said he isn't sure yet where she could end up, but as he weighed the options of selling her verses keeping her for his own small racing stable, his voice rose at the mention of watching Ask Alexa run with his own silks.

“Once you dip your toes in the water, there's no turning back,” he said. “You go through the ups and downs of everything, but the true, raw story is really the care that goes into these athletes. It's an amazing thing and it's very contagious.”

Moore is looking forward to the weekend in the spotlight at Gulfstream with Knicks Go. But for her it might be just as rewarding, be it more humble, to watch a young filly step onto wobbly legs in her first hours of life as her novice owner looks on.

“One thing I've realized is that our first job is to take good care of our horses, but the second is to provide an experience for the owners by being as transparent and hands-on as possible,” she explained. “Rodney's excitement is so cool to watch. He really appreciates all the hard work that everyone puts into it and he's a natural. It's like looking back in time to when our first couple of babies arrived and how exciting that was.”

Moore had a long checklist to get through before she could leave for Florida. She has a mare due to foal any day that needed to find a sitter and in between turnout, cleaning stalls and monitoring foals, she had to find time to pack. But she's thrilled that for this last go-round, her sister is coming along with her for the first time.

“No one else in my family is really 'horse-y,'” she said. “They can't really grasp how much of a big deal this is. I gave my dad a Knicks Go hat the other day and I was like, 'Hey, these are going for $250 on Ebay so please don't put this in the Goodwill pile.'”

While not everyone will understand quite how monumental Saturday's race may be, Moore is thankful for the support and encouragement she's received by many throughout Knicks Go's career and is equally grateful for the horse that made it all possible.

“To have a horse win one Grade I is just insane and something I never thought would happen to me,” she said. “This horse has had to work so hard to prove himself but this weekend, whatever happens will happen. He doesn't have to prove himself anymore, but for him to close the book by going out a winner would be something really special for us all.”

The post Bittersweet Endings and New Beginnings at GreenMount appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Friday Show Presented By Pegasus World Cup At Gulfstream Park: Racing’s Social License To Operate

Racetracks are licensed by the state, as are owners, trainers and many others employed in the horse racing industry throughout the United States. There is yet another license required for racing, but this is one you can't put in your wallet or hang on a wall.

In this week's edition of the Friday Show, Paulick Report publisher Ray Paulick and bloodstock editor Joe Nevills discuss that relatively new and somewhat nebulous license, one known as a “social license to operate.” In brief, an SLO amounts to a business or industry's ability to exist through the approval by the general public of its standards and practices.

The term came up most recently in the ongoing hearing called by the New York Racing Association against Bob Baffert for his recent medication violations. An expert witness called by NYRA said an industry's social license to operate may be impacted when someone as high-profile as Baffert is associated with what the general public believes is the drugging or deaths of horses.

Racing is far from being the only sport or industry whose social license to operate is being scrutinized by both animal rights extremists but also by many in the general public. Greyhound racing lost its social license to operate in numerous states and is now virtually out of business in the U.S. Football's social license to operate has been called into question in recent years because of head injuries to players, but the sport evolved in response to social pressure and is thriving.

Can horse racing do the same thing?

Watch this week's Friday Show presented by the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.

The post Friday Show Presented By Pegasus World Cup At Gulfstream Park: Racing’s Social License To Operate appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Hurry Up And Wait: Italian Import Wakanaka Ready For U.S. Debut In Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf

Wakanaka has a hurry-up-and-wait story that has delivered her to the TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Invitational (G3) Presented by PEPSI Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Bred in Ireland and purchased at a British sale for a mere $4,274, the 4-year-old daughter of Power built her reputation in Italy. Team Valor International CEO Barry Irwin was well aware of her juvenile success, enlisted Gary Barber, a partner in many other horses through the years, and completed the deal to purchase the filly about 10 months ago. Irwin said the name Wakanaka has its origins are in Zimbabwe and means “she's beautiful.”

Now trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Wakanaka has recovered from a physical issue and will have her U.S. coming-out party in the newest addition to the Pegasus World Cup Invitational program.

Wakanaka and jockey Umberto Rispoli will start from Post 2 in the 1 1/16th miles turf race for older fillies and mares.

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

Irwin said that Wakanaka is built like a sprinter, not overly tall but stout and powerful. Three of her 2-year-old wins were in turf sprints by a combined 10 ¾ lengths.

A goal for top 3-year-old fillies in Italy is the Premio Regina Elena Italian One Thousand Guineas (G3) contested at the Capannelle Racecourse in Rome in late April.

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

Irwin said the major question about Wakanaka was answered on March 17 in her prep for the Premio Regina Elena, the Premio Cesare Degli Occhi at San Siro.

“Nobody knew if she could rate and they were able to rate her,” Irwin said. “She went a mile and she won by (6 ½) lengths, very impressively.”

Based on that performance, Irwin began the process of trying to buy the filly.

“I was contacted by an agent that we buy a lot of horses with,” he said. “I've gotten plenty of horses in Italy and done extremely well with them. We've had a champion and a couple of Grade 1 winners over the years. I was familiar with the type of races that she was running in. I watched her and I had somebody go in there and check her out for me, a friend of mine who lives there.”

Irwin said he balked at the asking price, then reached out to Barber. The plan they developed was to buy the filly but allow the owner/trainer Diego Dettori to run her in the Premio Regina Elena in his colors and keep whatever purse money she earned.

“He's a young guy,” Irwin said. “It was his first big win. All we wanted was the filly.”

Wakanaka managed to overcome some traffic issues and improved to 6-2-0 from eight starts.

“She had kind of a rough trip. She was stuck between horses. She did rate well,” Irwin said. “Then when she got out, with about a furlong and a half to go, she exploded, opened up about two and a half and then won in hand by a length and a half.”

“We were very happy with that race. She got good speed ratings in Europe for that effort. She's a very likable filly. 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.”

Irwin said they asked Mott to train the horse because of his past success with horses from Italy. It did not turn out to be a be a smooth transition from Europe to American racing, though.

“She wound up getting bone bruising so we had to turn her out for two months,” Irwin said.

When she was ready, trainer Mark Casse and his staff helped get her fit before Mott arrived for the winter at Payson Park. Irwin said that Wakanaka got Mott's attention when she turned in a bullet work on Dec. 13. She has worked every week since and Irwin and Mott decided to run her in the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf.

The post Hurry Up And Wait: Italian Import Wakanaka Ready For U.S. Debut In Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post