Tag: Racing

When Knicks Go won the 2021 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by Baccarat at Gulfstream Park, the $3 million total purse marked the most lucrative race that trainer Brad Cox had won to date in his skyrocketing career.

That still ranks as Cox's second-richest victory, with Knicks Go going on to take the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in his Horse of the Year season of 2021. At some point, Cox will add another $3 million race triumph when Mandaloun becomes the official winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) after the disqualified Medina Spirit's court battle runs its course.

Knicks Go last year fell short of becoming the first two-time winner of the Pegasus World Cup since the Donn Handicap was rebranded in 2017, finishing second behind another sensational horse in Life Is Good. Saturday, Cox will try to match Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert (Arrogate in 2017, Mucho Gusto in 2020) as a two-time Pegasus winner, sending out Gold Square LLC's Cyberknife, runner-up by a head in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland in his last start.

A victory with the 5-2 program favorite for the Pegasus also would be Cox's 20th in a million-dollar race in less than five years – and that's not counting Mandaloun's Derby.

“The Pegasus is the first Grade 1 of the year that we run in America,” Cox said by phone from New Orleans. “It was a big deal and very special to win with Knicks Go. When you look at the Pegasus' past winners — the Arrogates and the Gun Runners, City of Light — it's a very good list of horses that have been able to win the race. To be able to add your name besides those is very prestigious. It's now the premier race for older horses in America for the first half of the year.”

Knicks Go came into the 2021 Pegasus off a victory in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland, with Cox taking a record-tying four wins over the Cup's two championship days to sew up his first of two straight Eclipse Awards as North America's outstanding trainer. Knicks Go had never before contested the Pegasus' 1 1/8-mile distance, but he rolled to a front-running 2 3/4-length victory over local favorite Jesus' Team to kick off a Horse of the Year campaign that included Saratoga's Whitney (G1), Churchill Downs' Lukas Classic (G3) and Prairie Meadows' Cornhusker (G3) as well as the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The Pegasus' timing also allows horses to get in one last big-money race in the spotlight before retiring to stud, such as Gun Runner and City of Light, and that was the plan for Knicks Go last year. Life Is Good had another plan, taking a clear lead at the start with Knicks Go chasing him throughout in second.

“He was very good at that point in time,” Cox said of Knicks Go at last year's Pegasus. “We were a more accomplished horse, having won multiple Grade 1 races leading up to that, winning the Breeders' Cup Classic and reigning Horse of the Year. I felt like we were the champion, but after that race, we knew there was a new kid on the block with Life Is Good, for sure. He's obviously an extraordinary talent and went on to have a big year himself. He pretty much got the jump on us and never looked back.

“I was happy with the way Knicks Go ran. It's not as if he just didn't run. He just wasn't good enough to beat Life Is Good that day,” he added. “But, I do think the long campaign had maybe started taking a toll on him.”

Cyberknife earned his first stakes victory in Oaklawn Park's Arkansas Derby (G1), followed by Churchill's Matt Winn (G3) and Monmouth Park's Haskell (G1). In addition to the Dirt Mile, he also was second in Saratoga's Travers (G2) and third in Parx's Pennsylvania Derby (G1) while earning more than $2 million.

While Cox wishes Cyberknife wasn't making his last start before joining Spendthrift Farm's stallion band, he said a Pegasus triumph would provide the ideal conclusion.

“It's really neat, a great concept that Gulfstream started several years back,” Cox said. “I told someone earlier, this will be our third straight year of running in the Pegasus and our fourth year running overall because we ran a horse [fifth place Arklow] in the Pegasus Turf four years ago. It's a very, very good day of racing. It has the atmosphere of the Breeders' Cup, Kentucky Derby or a Triple Crown event. There are a lot of people on hand, in a great climate in January — a great event to be a part of.”

Cox said Cyberknife has worked better for his career finale than any time he's had the son of Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year and 2018 Pegasus winner. He said he has every bit the same confidence in a big performance by Cyberknife that he had before Knicks Go's two Pegasus appearances.

“I wouldn't change anything we've done with him over the last few months since the Breeders' Cup,” he said. “The horse is phenomenal physically, mentally and his works have been really good. If we have a good week, we're going to be in great shape.

“When we ran Knicks Go the first time, there was a bit of a question as to how far he really wanted to go,” he added. “We thought Gulfstream would be a good opportunity to give him the chance going a mile and an eighth, and he obviously was able to get it done the first year. But I really like where we are with this horse.”

Jockey Florent Geroux, also Gun Runner's regular rider, is one win away from his 2,000th career victory. He has a mount apiece Thursday and Friday in New Orleans and four on Saturday's undercard at Gulfstream before riding Cyberknife in the Pegasus.

The post Cox: Cyberknife In ‘Phenomenal’ Shape Ahead Of Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Timing is everything in life and sport and trainer Michael Yates figures Dean Delivers' time could be Saturday in the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The Fred W. Hooper for older horses going the one-turn mile on the main track is part of the blockbuster 13-race Pegasus World Cup Invitational program. Headlined by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) presented by Baccarat, the $1 million World Cup Turf (G1) presented by Qatar Racing and the $500,000 TAA Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3), the card features nine stakes, seven of them graded, worth a total of $5.4 million.

Post time is 10:50 a.m. with the Hooper scheduled as Race 10 with a post time of 3:34 p.m. NBC will provide live national coverage from 4:30 to 6 p.m. All times are EST.

The Hooper honors the legendary Florida owner-breeder, who died at the age of 102 in 2000. Dean Delivers, a 4-year-old chestnut gelding was bred and is owned by Stonehedge LLC, the important Florida breeding operation developed by the late Gil Campbell, who died at the age of 91 in September 2021. Campbell's wife Marilyn now heads Stonehedge.

Dean Delivers drew Post 11 in the 13-horse field and is seeking his first graded stakes victory. The Hooper runners have a total of 60 victories and loads of stakes placings, but the lone graded winner is Godolphin's Prevalence, who finished first in the Commonwealth (G3) at Keeneland in April. Peter Brant and Robert LaPenta's lightly raced 5-year-old Miles D, will make his first start since finishing third in the Mineshaft (G3) at Fair Grounds in Feb. 22.

“It looks like a pretty competitive field,” Yates said, “but he's training well, and I think he will run very well.”

Dean Delivers, a Florida-bred son of Cajun Breeze, who Yates trained for Stonehedge, has three wins and six seconds in 11 starts. He showed some promise as a Triple Crown prospect last year and was second by a half-length in the Swale (G3). Though he was in the mix early and had the lead at one point in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on March 5, Dean Delivers faded in the stretch and ended up fifth, beaten six lengths. After running fourth in the Sophomore at Tampa Bay Downs, he was given a short break from competition.

Since his return in mid-July, Dean Delivers has a pair of wins and three second-place finishes. The most recent was in the seven furlong Mr. Prospector (G3) on Dec. 31 at Gulfstream, where he has made 10 starts.

“He ran second going a mile already and he came out of his last race and has been training very forward,” Yates said, “so we decided to run him while he was doing well.”

The second in the one-mile race was in the inaugural Gil Campbell Memorial Handicap on Oct. 1. Pressured on the lead all the way, first by Gatsby, he ended up 2 ¼ lengths behind Clapton.

“That was a tough defeat,” Yates said. “Mr. Campbell had passed away and Marilyn is carrying on the farm. We certainly wanted to win that in his honor, but he certainly gave a gallant effort.”

Dean Delivers has proven to be a capable runner in the one-turn sprints at Gulfstream and the Hooper comes along at the right time.

“So far, it looks like he can run six, seven or a mile,” Yates said. “The jury's still out on what is his best distance. I do think a mile is his limit.”

Miles D, is out of the Bernardini mare Sound the Trumpets and is named for the jazz legend Mile Davis. The Chad Brown trainee only made one start at 2 in 2020, but emerged as a stakes horse in the summer of 2021 with a second in the ungraded Curlin, named for his sire, and a third in the Travers (G1). He followed that Saratoga success with an allowance win at Belmont and a victory in the Discovery at Aqueduct. Last year, he made just the one start, finishing second at Fair Grounds. Miles D, who drew the rail, has been working weekly since late November for his eighth lifetime start.

Standing next to Miles D in the gate will be the Noble Drama, the most experienced horse in the field with 10 wins and just over $800,000 in earnings from 35 starts. Owned and trained by David Fawkes, the 8-year-old has won seven of his 14 starts at the distance.

Gulfstream's leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will saddle four in the Hooper: Mish, Picking Up Pennies, The Reds and Twelve Volt Man.

Mish, the runner-up in the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star Park on May 30, worked a bullet four furlongs in :46.45, the fastest of 91 at the distance, on Saturday at the Palm Meadows Training Center. He will start from Post 3. In Post 7 is Jules and Michael Iavarone's Picking Up Pennies, who brings a three-race win streak, all at one mile, into the race. Flanagan Racing's The Reds, will leave from Post 10 with Junior Alvarado. The Hooper will be the first start since he ran a very close fourth in a $100,000 allowance at Churchill Downs on Nov. 13. Twelve Volt Man, who will have Frankie Dettori up, was most recently second to Picking Up Pennies on Jan. 7 at Gulfstream.

Arindel homebred Octane will have Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard when they start from Post 4. The 4-year-old son of Brethren, has missed a top-three finish just once in nine career starts and has earned $518,480. Trained by Carlos David, Octane won the Marion County Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 10.

Dream Team One Racing Stable's homebred Hoist the Gold in Post 5 brings a stakes-heavy resume into the Hooper. In his most recent start, the 4-year-old trained by Dallas Stewart was third in the Malibu (G1), five lengths behind Taiba at Santa Anita Park. Though winless in nine straight, he has finished in the money six times.

Black Belt, trained by Peter Walder, has won all three of his starts since being claimed for $16,000 on July 29. EKB Stables and P and L Thoroughbreds own the Not This Time 5-year-old, who drew Post 6. He has won three of four tries at a mile, all at Gulfstream. The Hooper will be his stakes debut.

Doc Amster will make his 23rd career start but first for trainer Jena Antonucci in the Hooper. Off since finishing third as the 4-5 favorite in the Parx Dash in late August, Doc Amster will start from Post 8 with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano in the irons.

A year ago, Mark Breen's Endorsed trained by Mike Maker ran fourth in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational. He was recently ended a long losing streak – 10 of them in graded stakes – with a victory in his last start, a seven-furlong optional claimer on Dec. 22. Luis Saez will ride from Post 9.

Trainer Brendan Walsh will saddle the Godolphin homebred Prevalence, a son of Medaglia d'Oro. Prevalance started the 2022 season at Gulfstream and won an optional claimer in March that set him up for the Commonwealth score. He was well-beaten in his last three starts last year. Regular rider Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard when they leave from Post 12.

The post Gulfstream: Yates Hopes Dean Delivers In Saturday’s Fred Hooper appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Godolphin LLC can win big even before running its homebred Proxy in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed's international racing and breeding operation will be in the spotlight before the Pegasus program as Godolphin is heavily favored to repeat as the Eclipse Award-winning owner and breeder when North America's 2022 champions are announced Thursday evening at The Breakers in Palm Beach.

The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus is America's richest race for older horses on dirt outside of the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). It's part of a blockbuster 13-race program featuring nine stakes, seven graded, worth $5.4 million in purses that includes the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) and $500,000 TAA Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3).

Saturday's first post is 10:50 a.m., with the Pegasus carded as Race 13 with a 5:40 p.m. post time. NBC will provide live national coverage from 4:30 to 6 p.m. All times are EST.

Godolphin has won the owner Eclipse four prior times and the breeder award twice. The operation easily led all owners in purse earnings in $16.3 million last year, including four Breeders' Cup victories at Keeneland. The big season kicked off last Pegasus Day when Speaker's Corner captured the Fred Hooper (G3) and ended on a high note when Proxy gave Godolphin its 13th Grade 1 triumph in 2022 in Churchill Downs' Clark.

The 5-year-old Proxy is the headliner of Godolphin's lineup at Gulfstream that includes Famed in the $200,000 Inside Information (G2) presented by Brightline, Adventuring in the $150,000 La Prevoyante (G3) presented by Don Julio and Prevalence in the $150,000 Fred Hooper (G3) at a mile. Godolphin's day starts with Paratus in the fifth race, a turf allowance.

Godolphin and trainer Mike Stidham thought all along that Proxy was the type of talent who could make noise on the 2021 Triple Crown trail. A pair of fourth places in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Lexington (G3) dashed those hopes, and Proxy didn't race again for 10 1/2 months. That day he won a Fair Grounds allowance race and had two seconds and two thirds in four subsequent stakes attempts.

“He's run well, but then it seemed he'd disengage in a race and then would come rolling down the stretch and give himself too much to do,” said Michael Banahan, Godolphin America's Lexington-based director of bloodstock. “He's a very late foal, a May foal. He's a big, tall horse. Maybe he just needed to mature into a full horse now. I think he's just now coming around to being the horse we thought he could be. He was running against good horses, and just hadn't put it all together and figured out how to be a professional racehorse.”

After finishing third behind eventual Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up Olympiad in the Stephen Foster (G2), Proxy was given another hiatus with Godolphin's rehab and pre-training head Johnny Burke until returning almost five months later to win his first stakes in the Clark. The Pegasus will be his first start since that Nov. 25 triumph.

“We just rehabbed him back here at the farm, gave him a bit of time,” Banahan said. “Johnny Burke did a great job getting him back on track again and turned him over to Mike Stidham. He's never taken a backward step since then.

“He got a little bit of a break after the Clark and has trained very well since at the Fair Grounds. His last couple of works have been as good as you'd want to have. We're going into this race pretty optimistic,” he added. “It's a tough race and a tough field, and he's going to have to have his running shoes on. We're hoping he can step up again from his win in the Clark and be a contender in the top handicap races in the states this year.”

Proxy will break from the rail under Joel Rosario in the Pegasus.

“He is a late-charging horse in most of his races,” Banahan said. “Hopefully there will be enough speed in there. He's going to have to break well and get himself into a decent position, but hopefully he'll be able to do that.”

Adventuring is the only graded-stakes winner in the La Prevoyante, at 1 1/2 miles on turf, and a four-time stakes winner overall. Famed comes into the Inside Information off of a dominating victory in the She's All In at Remington Park as the 4-year-old filly seeks her first graded-stakes victory. Both horses are trained by Brad Cox.

Godolphin's 5-year-old Prevalence will try to return to his winning says in the one-mile Hooper. The Brendan Walsh trainee most recently was seventh in Gulfstream's Mr. Prospector (G3). A repeat of his performance in last spring's Commonwealth (G3) at Keeneland puts him in the hunt in his third start off a 5 1/2-month layoff.

“I think we're going there with some very nice horses that will have really good chances,” Banahan said. “Fingers crossed that we might have a big day.”

Or week, since first up is Thursday's Eclipse Awards.

“It means the world to us,” Banahan said of being in position to be recognized as both outstanding owner and breeder two years in a row. “With everyone involved — the guys on the farm who foal out the mares, the yearling people who raise them, to where we get them broken and then on to the trainers —there are a lot of people who deserve credit.”

The post Pegasus: Grade 1 Winner Proxy Becoming ‘The Horse We Thought He Could Be’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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