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| Staff Writer |
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This week, twelve horses received invitations to the Gr.1US$3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on 27th January. Among them, National Treasure, Newgrange, and Subsanador were three horses based at Santa Anita.
Trainer Bob Baffert has announced that National Treasure, the 2023 Preakness winner, is set to participate in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus race, having skipped several stakes options with the Quality Road colt on opening day at Santa Anita on 26th December. Meanwhile, D’Amato has stated that the winner of the GII San Antonio, Newgrange, is "50-50" to either run in the Pegasus or defend his title in the GII San Pasqual at 1 1/8 miles. However, Sadler has confirmed that Subsanador, a multiple Group One winner in Argentina, will not run in the Pegasus after coming fourth in the San Antonio in his U.S. debut.
National Treasure, who lost by a nose to likely Horse of the Year Cody's Wish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on 4th November, has not started since then. In preparation for the Pegasus, National Treasure had his second consecutive bullet work, drilling six furlongs from the gate in 1:11.20 on Friday at Santa Anita.
Baffert has previously won the Pegasus twice with Arrogate in 2017 and Mucho Gusto in 2020. Newgrange won the 1 1/16-mile San Antonio by 2 ½ lengths in what was his third start on the comeback trail. The now 5YO Violence horse won the San Pasqual last year before finishing off the board in the GI Santa Anita Handicap.
The remaining nine "main" invitees to the Pegasus, along with their trainers, are First Mission, Grand Aspen, Hoist the Gold, Il Miracolo, O'Connor, Saudi Crown, Senor Buscador, Skippylongstocking, and Trademark.