By J.N. Campbell
Named for the owner, an immigrant from Scotland who realized a Carnegie-kind of American Dream, it began as a 12-furlong turf race. Five years later in 1964 it was cut back to nine and moved to the dirt.
The roll call of Donn H. winners through 2016 at Gulfstream Park reflects a roster of unique equine and human personalities, which is peppered with some magnificent performances that shouldn't be forgotten.
Hall of Fame jockey Braulio Baeza won his first of three victories in 1969 aboard Funny Fellow and took home his last Donn with Foolish Pleasure in 1976.
One of the greats, Forego, captured the 1974 race. There was Deputy Minister in 1983. The legendary Cigar grabbed back-to-back races starting in 1995 for a trainer with the last name of Mott, who is still collecting accolades and giving sound speeches without notes.
And who could forget the haul by Todd Pletcher with his first Donn win in 2003 which was authored by Harlan's Holiday.
Speaking of sires, futures breeding shed stars like Medaglia d'Oro, Quality Road and Constitution, all got their picture taken after winning the Donn.
As we know, the race was renamed and its history placed on a dusty shelf. Instead of drawing from the near and visceral past, it was time to extract strength from a famous mythological winged horse slaying a dragon. Second in size stateside to only the Statue of Liberty, the completed 2014 edifice ominously guards the entrance of Gulfstream, presides over the Donn's demise and welcomes those attending Pegasus World Cup Day.
On Saturday, another edition arrives as the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. anchors a card which sports six other graded events. Looking to join the likes of Arrogate (who won the first Pegasus), Gun Runner and Life Is Good, are a dozen suitors and an also-eligible.
National Treasure schooling | Lauren King
Out of these, National Treasure (Quality Road) is the clear class leader. The Bob Baffert trainee won last year's GI Preakness S. and ended his 3-year-old campaign as the runner-up in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to newly-minted Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin).
One of National Treasure's primary rivals, who is drawn right next to him, is Godolphin homebred GSW First Mission (Street Sense). Trained by Brad Cox, the dark bay missed last year's Triple Crown, but he has the potential to be a major player within the 2024 Classic division.
“It couldn't have gone better so far,” said Cox assistant Trace Messina. “He shipped in here early Tuesday morning and had a good gallop over the track Wednesday and another good gallop Thursday.”
First Mission was second in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs last November. Both the winner of that race, Trademark (Upstart), and the third-place finisher, Il Miracolo (Gun Runner), also received a Pegasus invite.
Il Miracolo's trainer Antonio Sano said, “The horse has been doing very well after the [last] race. Right now, the horse is very excited and in good condition. He worked two times with [jockey Javier] Castellano and I hope to run well. I think there are four horses that show speed in the race. I hope we can find room behind the speed for the horse to close.”
As for the rest of the field, it includes Mineshaft's own GISW Hoist the Gold and MGSW Senor Buscador (who ran first and second in the GI Cigar Mile), plus the Iavarone's MGSW O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) and that 7-year-old's Saffie Joseph stablemate MGSW Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator).
The Undercard Takes to the Turf
The rest of the Gulfstream slate has an intriguing lineup. In the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S., trainer Aidan O'Brien sends GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf runner-up Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) back to America. Since missing by a neck to newly-crowned champion female turf horse Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the filly was third in the G1 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin in mid-December.
Warm Heart workout | Ryan Thompson
Last year's winner, Atone (Into Mischief) returns, along with the undefeated MGSW Integration (Quality Road), who picks up rider Tyler Gaffallione for Kendrick Carmouche.
West Point Thoroughbreds executive vice president Tom Bellhouse said about Integration's development, “He's as exciting a horse as we've had. He's just a super exciting horse. It took him a while to really get rolling and find his stride. If you look back, he had a lot of works and a lot of base. Shug [McGaughey] was always, 'I like this horse.' He's rewarded all the confidence Shug had in him. To win the race at Colonial [Downs] first time out and to come back a little less than four weeks later and win the Virginia Derby the way he did, it was spectacular. I was lucky enough to be at Aqueduct for the Hill Prince S. and it was one of those races that was never in doubt. It was really an amazing performance.”
A trio of graded turf races help to round out the Pegasus Day card. First among them is the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which moved up a spot to become a Grade II race. Star Fortress (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the market leader at 5-2 here, made her U.S. debut a winning one by 10 lengths for trainer Cherie DeVaux in the GIII Cardinal S. at Churchill Downs last November. Chief among her rivals will be veteran 6-year-olds like GISW Queen Goddess (Empire Maker), MGSW/MGISP Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}) and MGSW/GISP Didia (Arg) (Orpen).
As an ode to the Donn's origins, also on the docket are a pair of grass distance tests at 12 furlongs–the GIII La Prevoyante S. and the GIII W.L. McKnight S.
Graded dirt races do make an appearance with the GII Inside Information S. for older females at seven furlongs, which is led by local favorite GSW/GISP Maryquitecontrary (First Dude). Also, older males traveling a mile in the GIII Fred Hopper S. will look to challenge morning-line favorite Hejazi (Bernardini), who was the runner-up in the GI Malibu S.
Heading West
Finally, the graded train also makes Saturday stops at Sam Houston Race Park and Santa Anita Park. H-Town hosts the GIII Ladies Houston Classic S. and the GIII John B. Connally Turf Cup, while the 'Great Race Place' has its own nine-furlong test on the dirt in the GII San Pasqual S.
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