Sweet Melania

Since its inaugural running in 2017, the Pegasus World Cup Invitational has become one of the marquee events during Gulfstream's Championship Meeting. Its 'Turf' equivalent, which was added in 2019, was won by that season's Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, and three years later, a division for the fairer set is added to the card, the GIII TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational S. Formerly the Marshua's River S., the 8 1/2-furlong test for older fillies and mares features a pair of Grade I winners--morning...

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...

Robert and Lawana Low's Sweet Melania (American Pharoah), without a victory in 18 months, broke through to record her first win of the 2021 season in Saturday's GIII Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream. She jumped well from her outside draw in post 10 to chase from second as favored Shifty She (Gone Astray) sped off on a clear advantage. Sweet Melania, off at 6-1, set her sights on the pacesetter beneath John Velazquez at the top of the stretch, hit the front shortly thereafter and had a half-length over that...

Versatile Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) turned the tables on Micheline (Bernardini)--who defeated her by a neck last time in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs--to become the first Grade I winner for Triple Crown-winning sire American Pharoah in Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland. Off at 7-2 bidding to become Hall of Famer Bill Mott's second winner in this prestigious event, the grey employed her good cruising speed to chase Sweet Melania (American Pharoah) through honest enough fractions of :23.89, :47.75 and 1:12.16. She...

For the considerable success he's achieved on the New York circuit and particularly on the turf, it wasn't until 2015 that trainer Chad Brown unsaddled the winner of the GIII Lake George S. for the first time (Mrs McDougal {Medaglia d'Oro}). The stable's lone chance in Friday's renewal, Selflessly (More Than Ready), was pegged as a 6-1 chance on David Aragona's morning line, but the tote read a remarkable 14-1 at post time and those who ignored her paid dearly, as the Maryland-bred was up in the final jump to...

Sweet Melania (American Pharoah) captured the GIII Wonder Again S. at Belmont June 20 and looks to pick up where she left off Friday in Saratoga's GIII Lake George S. A close second in this venue's P.G. Johnson S. last term, the $600,000 KEESEP buy romped in Keeneland GII Jessamine S. in October and was third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 1. The Wonder Again is her only start so far this term. "She's a quality filly and I was pleased with her effort off the...

Sweet Melania delivered the performance everyone expected, dominating the GIII Wonder Again S. from start to finish. Seizing the early advantage, the 6-5 chalk put up a half-mile in :47.62 with Antoinette (Hard Spun) hounding her from a close second. Showing the way into the lane, the chestnut charged clear in the lane to win as she pleased with Highland Glory (Sky Mesa) in second. "Analyzing the race beforehand, it looked as though she had a pace advantage," said Todd Pletcher. "We weren't going to put her on the lead,...

A competitive field of five is set to line up Saturday for Belmont's GIII Wonder Again S. Speaktomeofsummer (Summer Front) enters off a pair of wins and receives Lasix for the first time here. Off the board in and off-the-turf event at Monmouth in her Sept. 7 career bow, the dark bay graduated on the lawn at the Oceanport oval three weeks later. She closed out her juvenile season with a victory in Aqueduct's Chelsey Flower S. Nov. 3 and has been working steadily towards this sophomore bow. Robert and...