GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational

One can always count on Todd Pletcher to make a show of force on the big days. This Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational card is no different, with the Hall of Fame trainer offering strong representation in all three of Gulfstream's Pegasus events. "It's a really marquee day for the Championship Meet at Gulfstream," Pletcher said. "The Pegasus has attracted some of the best horses in training since it's been in existence. It's early enough in the season for horses that want to go to stud like Gun Runner did...

HALLANDALE, FL--During Tuesday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational post-position draw in the Sport of Kings Theatre at Gulfstream Park Tuesday, the stage was set for what is shaping up to be another intriguing renewal of Pegasus World Cup Invitational, including the PWC Turf and the newest addition to the World Cup series, the Filly and Mare Turf Invitational, which replaces the GIII Marshua's River S. Heading Saturday's Pegasus card is the nine-furlong main-track test for older horses, led by defending champion Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go (Paynter) and WinStar Farm and...

Hit the Road (More Than Ready), aiming for the Jan. 29 GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park, worked five furlongs in :58.40 (1/1) over the Santa Anita turf Sunday. The 5-year-old, trained by Dan Blacker, capped a four-race win streak with a win in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. last March. He has been off since a third-place effort in the GII City of Hope Mile S. last October. The nine-furlong Turf Invitational will be Hit The Road's first start beyond a mile. Also working...

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s TDN Rising Star Life Is Good (Into Mischief) posted another sharp work Saturday morning as he readies for his next scheduled start in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Jan. 29. The 4-year-old breezed five furlongs in 1:00.36 at Palm Beach Downs for Todd Pletcher, third-fastest of 14 horses at the distance Saturday. "Just another super work this morning," said the Hall of Famer of the 3-year-old Eclipse finalist. "Looked awesome, finished up really strong, galloped out great. Looks good here [Saturday] afternoon....

Gulfstream Park has added another lucrative race to its Pegasus World Cup card and increased the purses of its Road to the Triple Crown series, the track announced Friday while releasing the stakes schedule for its 2021-2022 championship meet, scheduled for Dec. 3 through Apr. 3. The $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf will be joined on Jan. 29 by the $500,000 GIII Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf, a 1 1/16-mile event that will replace the GIII Marshua's River. The 70th running...

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go (Paynter) will try to return to his winning ways Saturday in Belmont's GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H., a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar this fall. Riding a four-race unbeaten streak, including the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Mile in November and the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 23, the grey finished fourth most recently behind Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) in the Feb. 20 GI Saudi Cup. "We had to contend with...

Coming off a dominant win in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, Knicks Go (Paynter) is scheduled to make his next start in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 20 in Riyadh. "As long as he breezes well this weekend, we're going to the Saudi Cup," trainer Brad Cox said. "We plan to ship him out Monday [Feb. 8]." Cox said the decision became easier when it became clear that Knicks Go came out of the Pegasus in perfect shape. "The owners [the Korea Racing Authority] would like to...

It's the obvious question in South Florida this week. Back in January 2017, everything was henceforth going to be different. The language was brash, it was immoderate, it certainly wasn't to the taste of traditionalists. But like it or not, it looked a game-changer. Yet here we all are, four years on, asking whether the whole project has failed; or whether, despite its apparent humiliation, it retains enough momentum never to permit a return to the old ways? No, we're not talking about the latest senior citizen to retire to...

With the fifth running of the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. on the horizon, Gulfstream television host Acacia Courtney joined the TDN Writers' Room.

Calumet Farm's True Timber (Mineshaft) impressed trainer Jack Sisterson Saturday morning with a swift five-furlong breeze in preparation for a third start in the Jan. 23 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. Working in company with multiple-stakes winner American Tattoo (Arg) (Not For Sale), True Timber covered five furlongs in 1:00.20 under exercise rider Mark O'Dwyer at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. "He worked great this morning," said Sisterson. "It was probably one of the better breezes he's done with us. He went...

After Charlatan (Speightstown) worked a half-mile Saturday in :49.80 at Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert reported that his Grade I winner will likely make his next start in the Feb. 20 Saudi Cup. Charlatan is coming off a dominant win against a quality field in the Dec. 26 GI Runhappy Malibu S., his first after being sidelined following the GI Arkansas Derby May 2. Charlatan has been invited to the GI Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream, but will likely pass that race. Should Charlatan pass the Pegasus,...

Nominations for five graded stakes to be run Saturday, Jan. 23 on Pegasus World Cup Invitational Day at Gulfstream Park will close Sunday, Jan. 10. The five graded races are: $200,000 GII Inside Information S. - Fillies & Mares, 4yo/up, Seven Furlongs; $150,000 GIII W. L. McKnight S., 4yo/up, 1 1/2 Miles Turf; $125,000 Fred W. Hooper S., 4yo/up, One Mile; $125,000 La Prevoyante S., Fillies & Mares, 4yo/up, 1 1/2 Miles Turf; $123,000 GIII Marshua's River S., Fillies & Mares, 4yo/up, One Mile Turf; $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup...