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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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