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Dynamic One, owned by Repole Stable, Phipps Stable, and St Elias Stable, has received an invitation to the US$3 million Gr.1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on January 27. This invitation comes alongside his stablemate Grand Aspen, also trained by Todd Pletcher, who was also included in the Second Invitational List released on Wednesday.
The 6YO son of Union Rags, Dynamic One, had a successful 2022 season winning the Gr.2 Suburban at Belmont and the Blame at Saratoga. He also had some notable placements in the Gr.3 Challenger at Tampa Bay and Gr.2 Ben Ali at Keeneland.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the Championship Meet title 11 times, has three chances to secure his second Pegasus World Cup win. Pro Thoroughbred Enterprises' Grand Aspen is on the primary invitation list, while Repole Stable, Phipps Stable, and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One and Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Crupi are listed as reserve invitees.
After finishing second behind O'Connor in the Gr.3 Harlan's Holiday by a neck, Grand Aspen, a 5YO son of Dialed In, secured a spot on the main invitation list of 12 horses, despite being a late bloomer.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has had a great record at the Pegasus World Cup, winning the championship meet title 11 times, and securing a victory with Life is Good in the 2022 Pegasus World Cup, and two consecutive Gr.1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational wins with Colonel Liam in 2021 and 2022. His reserve invitees for the 2023 Pegasus World Cup are St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable Crupi, who comes to the race after winning the Discovery Handicap and Queens County Stakes at Aqueduct.
The 8th edition of the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park is scheduled to take place on Jan. 27. The event will showcase world-class Thoroughbred racing, entertainment, fashion, and food. The 1 1/8-mile race will be the main attraction of a spectacular program that includes seven graded stakes, the YUS$1 million Gr.1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, and the US$500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational.
Brad Cox, a multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainer, is represented by two of his stable stars on the second invitation list for the Pegasus World Cup - FMQ Stables' Saudi Crown and Godolphin LLC's First Mission. Cox trained Knicks Go and led him to a dominant victory in the 2021 Pegasus World Cup. Knicks Go went on to win the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Classic and was awarded the 2021 Horse of the Year title. Saudi Crown, a 4YO son of Always Dreaming, won his first two races and secured Group One credentials by winning the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx. He finished off the board in the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in his only finish worse than second, after finishing second in the Dwyer at Belmont and Jim Dandy at Saratoga.
One of the horses on the second invitation list for the Pegasus World Cup is First Mission, a son of Street Sense who has had a good track record so far, having never placed worse than second in any of his five career starts. He won the Gr.3 Lexington at Keeneland on 15th, before taking a five-month break from the sport. He returned to the racecourse and won the 14th Oct optional claiming allowance at Keeneland, showcasing a gutsy off-the-pace victory. However, he lost by a nose in his most recent race, the Clark at Churchill Downs.
Top Contenders & Reserves For Pegasus World Cup
Bob Baffert, a Hall of Fame trainer and four-time Eclipse Award winner, has National Treasure on the second invitation list. National Treasure was Group One stakes-placed during his juvenile season and won the 2023 Gr.1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. He finished his 3YO campaign with a second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita. National Treasure is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Stable, and Madaket Stables LLC, among others. Baffert has previously trained two Pegasus World Cup winners - Arrogate in 2017 and Mucho Gusto in 2020.
Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained horses Skippylongstocking and O'Connor are making second starts in the Pegasus. They had disappointing performances last year but have been in peak form leading up to this year's race. Skippylongstocking is owned by Daniel Alonso and finished seventh last year. He comes to the Pegasus after a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita. O'Connor, owned by Michael and Julia Iavarone and Fernando Vine Ode, finished 11th in last season's Pegasus. He comes to the race after back-to-back victories in the Fayette at Keeneland and Harlan's Holiday at Gulfstream Park. Ny Traffic, trained by Joseph, is a reserve invitee after finishing third in the Harlan's Holiday for John Fanelli and partners.
Senor Buscador, a graded stakes-winning 6YO son of Mineshaft, trained by Todd Fincher, is also on the second invitation list. He rebounded from a seventh-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic to finish second in the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in his most recent start. David Bernsen LLC, Little Red Feather Racing, and Rockingham Ranch's Newgrange drew a Pegasus invitation with a victory in the Dec. 28 San Antonio at Santa Anita. BBM Racing LLC's Trademark, a graded stakes-placed horse, is also on the second invitation list. Dream Team One Racing Team's Hoist the Gold, who won the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, and Alex Andres LLC's Il Miracolo, a Smarty Jones winner, both received invitations to the Pegasus.
Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Steve Asmussen, who trained Gun Runner for his 2018 Pegasus score, are represented on the list of reserve invitees by Red Route One, a 4YO son of Gun Runner who won the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park and finished second in both the Southwest and Rebel at Oaklawn Park last season. Michael McCarthy, who trained City of Light for a Pegasus World Cup victory in 2019, is represented by Wizard of Westwood, a stakes-winning 4YO son of Tu Brutus.
Finally, the list of reserve invitees includes Nimitz Class, a multiple-stakes winner owned by Black Type Thoroughbreds, Steve Adkisson, and Swibank Stables, Castle Chaos, who finished third in the Cigar Mile last time out, and Steal Sunshine, who finished fourth behind O'Connor in the Harlan's Holiday.