Pegasus World Cup

It was an eventful few months for three-time Eclipse champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Shortly after scoring a hat trick of victories at the Breeders' Cup, Ortiz was suspended 30 days for careless riding at Aqueduct. Upon his return, the 29-year-old picked up where he left off at Gulfstream, piloting winners left and right and over the weekend, added two more seven-figure Grade I wins to his trophy collection with victories in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. on back-to-back winner Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) and Pegasus World Cup...

Yes, despite everything, life really is good. I know that the industry press is currently saturated with the contention of attorneys, rather than racehorses. And I know that our sport, in the process, is squandering much of the cultural capital that should instead have been invested in the two compelling talents squaring up at Gulfstream Saturday. Yet perhaps one of the protagonists will not just put all these tawdry sagas aside, however briefly, but also pay a timely tribute to a mare who could get anyone interested in the game....

Kent Desormeaux, scheduled to ride Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) for trainer Steve Moger in Saturday's Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream, was arrested Friday for "Domestic Abuse Battery/Strangulation" according to a Facebook post from the Breaux Bridge, Louisiana police department. Desormeaux, 51, "was arrested, booked and transported to the St. Martin Parish Jail on the above mentioned charge," reads the post, which includes a shot of Desormeaux taken upon his arrest. It was unclear who the altercation was with. Reached Friday, the police department said they did not have any further information....

All good things must come to an end, they say, so on Friday Sabrina Moore, who co-bred the horse recently named the 2021 Longines World's Best Racehorse, boarded one last flight to watch Knicks Go (Paynter) make his final career start in the GI Pegasus World Cup before he begins stud duty at Taylor Made Farm. Foaled at the Moores' GreenMount Farm in Reisterstown, Maryland, Knicks Go has taken his doting breeder to winner's circles most only dream of reaching. The story of a young horsewoman breeding a champion racehorse...

Knicks Go (Paynter) tuned up for a title defense in Saturday's $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park with a bullet five-furlong workout Sunday morning at Fair Grounds. The Brad Cox trainee, who captured last year's Pegasus World Cup by 2 3/4 lengths, was timed in 1:00 2/5, the fastest of 57 workouts recorded at the distance at the New Orleans track. Exercise rider Edvin Vargas was aboard. Sunday's breeze was the gray's second straight bullet in a series of eight workouts (seven at Fair Grounds) since capturing...

Put Dallas Stewart in front of a chessboard, and you know that he'd almost always rather corner the king, with a potential checkmate scenario, than turn around and strike out a mere pawn or two. Sure enough, Wednesday the trainer announced that connections have agreed to go on the attack with Chess Chief (Into Mischief)--even though taking up an invitation for the GI Pegasus World Cup, at Gulfstream Jan. 29, entails renouncing a "home game" this weekend. Chess Chief has developed a remarkable affinity for the Fair Grounds, scene of...

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who only recently returned from a 30-day suspension, will be sidelined 3-4 weeks with a knee fracture, according to a tweet from Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee. The three-time reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey was given 30 days for separate riding infractions at Aqueduct Dec. 3 and 4 and returned to the saddle at Gulfstream Park Thursday, Jan. 6. Ortiz, Jr. was aboard Shea On a Mission (Mission Impazible) in Hallandale Jan. 7 and was injured when the 4-year-old filly became fractious in the gates. He took off...

The favorite to land an Eclipse Award as the country's outstanding jockey of 2021 will begin his 2022 push at Oaklawn. Joel Rosario is named on seven horses Friday, which will mark his first day as a regular in Hot Springs and first action since suffering a hairline fracture of a rib when he was unseated shortly after the finish of a Dec. 2 race at Aqueduct. Rosario ($32,944,478) was eyeing a single-season North American record for purse earnings before the injury. Now healthy, Rosario's return to the saddle will...

'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), a dominant winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 6, continues to train forwardly toward his 4-year-old debut in the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park. Life Is Good was among two dozen horses breezing for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. He was clocked in 1:00.41 (5/11) for five furlongs. "He's a phenomenal workhorse. He's a very talented, gifted animal that when you watch him breeze you kind...

Repole Stable's Fearless (Ghostzapper) ran to the money as the 3-5 chalk in Saturday's GIII Harlan's Holiday S., the local prep for the upcoming $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Jan. 29. Drawn widest of all in post six, he tracked a pair of dueling leaders in a dream spot in third as they made their way up the backstretch. This term's GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. Feb. 27 winner revved up three wide rounding the far turn, kicked for home as the one to catch and...

A year after adding the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational to his Hall of Fame resume, trainer Todd Pletcher is targeting the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational for his next conquest during the upcoming Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park. The Pegasus World Cup and the Pegasus World Cup Turf will co-headline a program with seven graded stakes Jan. 29. Pletcher, the defending 18-time Championship Meet titlist, is preparing 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) for a start in the Pegasus World Cup, as well as planning for...

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go (Paynter), seeking to become the first repeat winner of Gulfstream Park's $3- million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, recorded his first workout since capturing the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic a month ago. The dark gray worked what was clocked as a three-eighths of a mile breeze in :36.20 (2/2) under exercise rider Edvin Vargas early Saturday morning at Churchill Downs. Trainer Brad Cox said he timed Knicks Go galloping out a half-mile in :48 1/5. "Well in hand, and I think he was out...