Accelerate Mid-Gate in Pegasus, Yoshida Favored From Gate 2 in Turf Counterpart

Pegasus Draw | Adam Coglianese

Hronis Racing's reigning GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero and Horse of the Year candidate Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) was assigned gate five in a field of 12 and was made the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday's $9-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. Joel Rosario has the call for John Sadler, who was more than satisfied with the draw. He will try to become the third straight Classic winner swansong victoriously in the Pegasus.

“It's a good post,” Sadler said. “We didn't want to be on the outside and we didn't want to be on the inside. We were hoping for five or six, so we're very happy with the draw. He has a style that doesn't get in trouble, typically. Hopefully, he gets away good and gets a good trip from there.”

City Of Light (Quality Road) handed Accelerate his lone defeat of 2018 in a stirring renewal of the GII Oaklawn H., but cut back in distance for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, in which he defeated fellow Pegasus entrant Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) by a convincing 2 1/2 lengths. Javier Castellano has the call for trainer Mike McCarthy.

“I'm very pleased to be drawn into the three-hole,” McCarthy said. “It got down to the wire there with the three or the 12, so we were obviously very grateful to have the three-hole. He's a horse that carries his speed a long way, so hopefully we get a nice, clean break and find ourselves in a good position going into the first turn and turning up the backside.”

WinStar Farm, who will be represented in the Pegasus Dirt by last year's course-and-distance GI Florida Derby winner Audible (Into Mischief), will send out Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the Turf. Winner of the GI Turf Classic on Derby Day last May, he defeated Gunnevera (Dialed In) in the GI Woodward S. and returns to the grass off a very respectable fourth to Accelerate in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

“We're happy with that,” WinStar's Elliott Walden said. “I always like saving ground, especially on the turf, and we'll go from there. I always like to be the favorite, because it feels like you're in the right spot if you're the favorite. It doesn't mean he's going to win but it means he's in with a big chance.”

Yoshida is one of two Japanese-breds in the race, as the filly Aerolithe (Jpn) (Kurofune), a Group 1 winner over a mile at home, adds a fair bit of intrigue to the race. Last year's G2 Ribblesdale S. victress Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) invades for Team Ballydoyle off a solid fourth to Eclipse Award candidate Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Nov. 3.

PEGASUS WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL S.-GI, $9,000,000, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m
1 Bravazo (Awesome Again), Lukas, Saez, 12-1
2 Something Awesome (Awesome Again), Corrales, Prado, 20-1
3 City of Light (Quality Road), McCarthy, Castellano, 5-2
4 Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}), Stewart, Velazquez, 12-1
5 Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky), Sadler, Rosario, 9-5
6 Tom's D'Etat (Smart Strike), Stall Jr., Bridgmohan, 20-1
7 True Timber (Mineshaft), McLaughlin, Bravo, 30-1
8 Gunnevera (Dialed In), Sano, Ortiz Jr., 8-1
9 Kukulcan (Mex) (Point Determined), Gutierrez, Dettori, 30-1
10 Audible (Into Mischief), Pletcher, Prat, 10-1
11 Imperative (Bernardini), Quartarolo, Gaffalione, 30-1
12 Patternrecognition (Adios Charlie), Brown, Ortiz, 10-1

PEGASUS WORLD CUP TURF-GI, $7,000,000, 3yo/up, 1 3/16mT
1 Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), O'Brien, Lordan, 9-2
2 Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Mott, Ortiz, 5-2
3 Channel Maker (English Channel), Mott, Castellano, 12-1
4 Aerolithe (Jpn) (Kurofune), Kikuzawa, Geroux, 8-1
5 Next Shares (Archarcharch), Baltas, Gaffalione, 15-1
6 Fahan Mura (English Channel), Cerin, Maldonado, 30-1
7 Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway), Brown, Ortiz Jr., 5-1
8 Delta Prince (Street Cry {Ire}), Jerkens, Dettori, 15-1
9 Catapult (Kitten's Joy), Sadler, Van Dyke, 7-2
10 Dubby Dubbie (Ice Box), Hess Jr., Panici, 30-1

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