Two-time Canadian champion STARSHIP JUBILEE trained by Woodbine’s Kevin Attard, has been invited to the Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25. Starship Jubilee, who won the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine in 2019 and is the probable Champion Turf Mare for the third straight year, is also a contender for Canadian Horse of the Year.
Eight Grade 1 winners — led by millionaires Arklow, Magic Wand, Henley’s Joy, Next Shares, Sadler’s Joy as well as Starship Jubilee — and seven other graded-stakes winners are among a list of 17 horses formally invited to the Pegasus World Cup Turf.
The second running of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up will be contested Saturday, Jan. 25, as part of a $5.2 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational program of nine stakes, six graded, led by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on dirt.
The Stronach Group, owners of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, announced the equine athletes in both races would compete free of any medications on race day, heralding a new era in the sport of Thoroughbred racing in North America. The medication-free policy is consistent with the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities standards. Two percent of the purses will go back to Thoroughbred aftercare.
The list of invitees for the Pegasus World Cup Turf are: Arklow, Channel Cat, Magic Wand, Henley’s Joy, Instilled Regard, Mo Forza, Next Shares, Sadler’s Joy, Starship Jubilee, United, Without Parole and Zulu Alpha.
Next on the preference list in the event of defections are Sacred Life, Admission Office, A Thread of Blue, Mr. Misunderstood and Lucullan.
Irish-bred mare Magic Wand and 7-year-old gelding Next Shares both ran in the 2019 Pegasus Turf, respectively finishing second and seventh. Magic Wand went on to run third in the Man o’ War (G1) in May at Belmont Park and second in the Arlington Million (G1) in August at Arlington Park before winning the Seppelt MacKinnon Stakes (G1) Nov. 9 at Flemington in Australia to push her career earnings over $4 million from 22 starts. Magic Wand is also an invitee to the Pegasus World Cup.
Next Shares, trained by Richard Baltas, capped his 2019 season by adding the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) Nov. 30 at Del Mar to his previous graded wins in the 2018 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) and 2019 San Gabriel (G2). In his only other try at Gulfstream, he broke his maiden in his 3-year-old debut Jan. 9, 2016 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
Woodslane Farm’s 7-year-old homebred Sadler’s Joy is a two-time graded-stakes winner over the Gulfstream turf, capturing the 2017 Pan American (G2) and 2018 Mac Diarmida (G3). A top three finisher in 18 of his 26 lifetime starts with $2.47 million in purse earnings, Sadler’s Joy became a Grade 1 winner in the 2017 Sword Dancer at Saratoga and ended 2019 with a victory in the Red Smith (G3) Nov. 23 at Aqueduct.
Blue Heaven Farm’s Florida-bred Starship Jubilee has raced 16 times previously at Gulfstream including wins in the 2018 and 2019 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf. The 7-year-old mare owns seven career stakes wins, four of them in Grade 2 company, and earned her first Grade 1 triumph in the E.P. Taylor (G1) Oct. 12 at Woodbine.
Bloom Racing Stables’ Henley’s Joy ran twice at Gulfstream’s 2018-19 Championship Meet, winning the Pulpit Stakes and finishing second in the Kitten’s Joy, ultimately winning the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) July 6. Arklow, trained by Eclipse Award finalist Brad Cox, has never run at Gulfstream and also earned his lone Grade 1 triumph at Belmont Park in the 2019 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.
Trainer Chad Brown won last year’s Pegasus Turf with Bricks and Mortar and has three horses on the invitation list – Instilled Regard, Without Parole and first alternate Sacred Life. Instilled Regard, on the Triple Crown trail in 2018, prepped for the Pegasus Turf with a half-length triumph in the Fort Lauderdale (G2) Dec. 14 at Gulfstream, his second start off a six-month layoff.
WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL – Gary and Mary West’s Florida Derby (G1) winner and disqualified Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Maximum Security leads a list of 17 horses formally invited Sunday to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park. But with him expected to bypass the event, it’s Fox Hill Farm’s Omaha Beach, a three-time Grade 1 winner and the Kentucky Derby favorite before being scratched three days before the race, who looks like the favorite.
Omaha Beach, who shipped from California to Gulfstream Park on New Year’s Eve, is trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Mike Smith. The son of War Front was favored in the Kentucky Derby off victories in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Rebel (G2) before being scratched three days before the race because of complications from an entrapped epiglottis. The 4-year-old colt returned in the fall to win the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) and finish second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). He enters the Pegasus off an impressive victory Dec. 28 in the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita.
Spun to Run, a 4-year-old son of Hard Spun who defeated Omaha Beach in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, followed that performance with a second-place finish behind Maximum Security in the Cigar Mile. The colt also won last year’s Smarty Jones (G3) and was third in the Haskell.
Hronis Racing, LLC’s Gift Box and Higher Power, both trained by John Sadler, were offered invitations. Gift Box would enter the Pegasus off a victory Dec. 28 in the San Antonio (G1) at Santa Anita. He’s also a winner of last year’s Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
Higher Power would enter the Pegasus off a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The 5-year-old previously won the Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar and finished third in the Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita. Higher Power is a son of Medaglia d’Oro and a winner of $1.376 million.
The fourth running of the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus, won previously by Arrogate (2017), Gun Runner (2018) and City of Light (2019) will be run Saturday, Jan. 25, along with the second running of the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1).
PEGASUS WORLD CUP $3 MILLION JAN. 25
Invited Horses
Horse Owner Trainer
Gift Box Hronis Racing John Sadler
Higher Power Hronis Racing John Sadler
Magic Wand (IRE) Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Mr. M.J. Joose Aidan O’Brien
Math Wizard John Fanelli, Khalid Mishref, Cash is King, LC Racing, Collarmele Vitelli Stables, Ioannis Zoumas, and Bassett Stables Saffie Joseph Jr.
Maximum Security Gary and Mary West Jason Servis
McKinzie Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram, and Paul Weitman Bob Baffert
Mr Freeze Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister Dale Romans
Omaha Beach Fox Hill Farms Richard Mandella
Roadster Speedway Stable Bob Baffert
Seeking the Soul Charles E. Fipke Dallas Stewart
Spun to Run Robert P. Donaldson Juan Carlos Guerrero
Tax R.A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch, and Corms Racing Stable Danny Gargan
Reserve Invitees in Order of Preference
Mucho Gusto Michael Lund Petersen Bob Baffert
War Story Imaginary Stables and Glenn K. Ellis Elizabeth Dobles
Bravazo Calumet Farm D. Wayne Lukas
Diamond Oops Diamon 100 Racing Club, Amy E. Dunne, DP Racing, and Patrick L. Biancone Racing Patrick Biancone
True Timber Calumet Farm Kiaran McLaughlin
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