By Stefanie Grimm
If a Saturday of racing under palm trees and warm, sunny skies sounds just like something on your holiday wish list, look no further than Gulfstream Park's Pegasus Preview Day with three graded stakes on offer ahead of January's main event, the Pegasus World Cup Invitational held Jan. 25.
On the dirt, a trio of 3-year-olds will face older horses in the 1 1/16-mile GIII Harlan's Holiday Stakes. Spendthrift Farm's Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso), who won three of his first five starts including a 6 3/4-length romp in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth before going to the sidelines after the GI Haskell Stakes, returned at Aqueduct to just miss in the Discovery Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Nov. 3 in his first start off the layoff. Trainer Todd Pletcher's sole runner in the field, 5-2 morning-line favorite has certainly signaled his readiness with a pair of bullet works at Palm Beach Downs, going four furlongs in :47 1/5 (1/30) Nov. 29 before going the same distance in :47 4/5 (1/24) just last week Dec. 14. Gulfstream's perennial leading trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. comes into Saturday's card heavy handed with no fewer than three runners in the Harlan's Holiday alone: Cape Trafalgar (Lord Nelson), Digital Ops (Nyquist) and Super Corinto (Arg) (Super Saver). The group all breaks outside of the Brian Lynch runner Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), the sole Breeders' Cup runner in the field (fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile).
On the grass, the boys prep for the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational by going 1 1/8 miles in the GII Ft. Lauderdale Stakes. Again loaded here, Joseph, Jr. brings in 6-year-old Cash Equity (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}), Saratoga Flash (Laoban) and Lorenz (Brz) (Forestry).
Of Cash Equity, who drew the rail Saturday, Joseph said: “He's a horse that seems to run decent enough each time but never win, though he's picked up some big checks. A mile and an eighth is probably the perfect distance. He's drawn well. Maybe he can not be as far back this time and hopefully he can break through and get the win. I think he'll like the firmer turf at Gulfstream because he ran well at Kentucky Downs. It's a different course but it's a very firm turf also.”
Joseph also admitted that, while Cash Equity has already proven his form towards the Pegasus Turf, his other runners had something left to run for.
“It's a trial for them. It's an exhibition to see if they're good enough.”
Pletcher also wields a pair here in Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) and Whisper Hill's Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) who gains blinkers off a Breeders' Cup run when 11th in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf.
Closing out Saturday's card, the fillies and mares go the flat mile in the GIII Suwannee River Stakes ahead of the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational with a pair of runners making their first starts in the United States following careers overseas. Pletcher has the outside runner in South African-import Bless My Stars (Saf) (Gimmethegreenlight {Aus}) who last ran in February but is a Group 1 winner in her native country. To the inside, French runner Ribaltagaia (Blame) last contested the G1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp in October and comes over for trainer Gianluca Bietolini. The rail draw went to Glen Hill Farm homebred Ocean Club (Curlin) who comes in off a short break dating back to her win in the GIII Noble Damsel going this distance at Aqueduct Sept. 21 for Jack Sisterson. Closer Papilio (Ire)'s (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) last trip over the mile was a strong win at Keeneland in the GII Appalachian Stakes but that was over 20 months ago and she's only gone longer distances since for trainer Mark Casse and D J Stable.
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