PEGASUS WORLD CUP STAKES CARD – SATURDAY JANUARY 29, 2022

[consensus Choice]

GULFSTREAM PARK

PEGASUS WORLD CUP CARD

JANUARY 29, 2022

ANALYSIS IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE

 

RACE 5 – LA PREVOYANTE G3 – $150,000 1 1/2 MILES TURF

#4 ALWAYS SHOPPING 7/5 – ONE OF SEVERAL “LIVE” CONTENDERS ON THE PEGASUS CARD TRAINED BY TODD PLETCHER, WON THE $100K VIA BORGHESE LAST OUT, THE SAME RACE SHE USED LAST YEAR TO WIN THE 2021 LA PREVOYANTE. SHE ADORES GULFSTREAM AND JUST MISSED BY A NOSE FROM WINNING HER LAST 4 GP STAKES IN THE G3 ORCHID LAST MARCH. A WORTHY FAVORITE.

#6 BEAUTIFUL LOVER 7/2 – TRAINED BY CHRISTOPHE CLEMENT WAS THIRD BEHIND THE TOP HORSE AND WAS NOT GOING ON WITH IT. HOWEVER HER RACE IN THE ZAGORA IN HER PREVIOUS AT THIS DISTANCE WAS A NEAR MISS. BIG NEGATIVE IS SHE DOESN’T LIKE TO WIN.

 

RACE 7 – W. L. MCKNIGHT G3 – $200,000 1 1/2 MILES TURF

#10 ABAAN 2/1 – PLETCHER AGAIN. JUST WON GATE TO WIRE IN THE 2 MILE $100K HA JERKENS. THE CUT BACK TO 1 1/2 MILES SHOULD BE THE WINNING MOVE.

#1 TEMPLE 4/1 – JUST MISSED IN A NARROW SECOND PLACE LOSS IN THIS RACE A YEAR AGO. BUT IS CAMERA SHY WHEN IT COMES TO WINNING.

#GLYNN COUNTY 3/1 – WAS THIRD IN THE G1 MR. D WHICH REPLACED THE ARLINGTON MILLION. ANOTHER HORSE WHO LIKES TO BE IN THE PICTURE BUT HASN’T HAD MUCH SUCCESS IN STAKES COMPANY.

 

RACE 8 – INSIDE INFORMATION G2 – $200,000 7 FURLONGS

#5 FOUR GRACES 5/1 – LOVES THIS DISTANCE WINNING ALL 4 OF HER RACES AT 7 PANELS. WON THE G3 DOGWOOD AT CHURCHILL AND THE G3 BEAUMONT AT KEENELAND IN 2020 AND WAS SECOND BEHIND THE TOUGH CLOSER SCONSIN IN THE 2020 8BELLES. VERY GOOD COMEBACK RACE AND MAY BE READY TO SHOW HER CLASS TODAY.

#6 PACIFIC GALE 8/1 – WON THIS RACE A YEAR AGO AND FOLLOWED THAT WIN WITH ANOTHER WIN IN THE G3 HURRICANE BERTIE HERE. CHANCE TO GO OUT A WINNER AT THE TRACK WHERE SHE HAD HER GREATEST SUCCESS.

#7 JAKARTA 7/2 – THOUGHT THIS GIRL WAS JUST A TURF HORSE BUT SHE HAS ACTUALLY WON 6 TIMES ON DIRT AND WENT WIRE TO WIRE LAST TIME IN A 100K PARX HOLIDAY STAKES AT TODAY’S DISTANCE. IS ALWAYS TOUGH TO CATCH.

 

RACE 9 – PWC FILLY AND MARE TURF G3 – $500,000 1 1/16 MILES TURF

#1 SWEET MELANIA 5/1 – YES, ANOTHER TODD PLETCHER CONTENDER, REGAINED HER GRADED STAKES FORM WINNING THE G3 SWANEE RIVER HERE. AT THE BOTTOM OF HER RESUME YOU WILL FIND A WIN IN THE G3 WONDER AGAIN AT BELMONT, A NOSE LOSS IN THE G3 LAKE GEORGE AT SARATOGA, AND A THIRD PLACE FINISH IN THE G1 BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLY TURF.

#4 REGAL GLORY 2/1 – IS CHAD BROWN AND COMES OFF BANG UP G1 TRIES, JUST MISSING IN THE FIRST LADY AND WINNING THE MATRIARCH AT DEL MAR. ONE TO BEAT AND CATCH.

#8 SUMMER IN SARATOGA 12/1 – HAS WON 6 OF HER LAST 10, WINNING THE G3 DOWAGER AT KEENELAND. WHILE THAT RACE WAS AT 1 1/2 MILES, HAS SEVERAL GREAT EFFORTS AT OR ABOUT THIS DISTANCE. BIG CHANCE AT A SQUARE PRICE. A FAST EARLY PACE, WHICH IS LIKELY, ONLY HELPS HER CAUSE.

#9 SHIFTY SHE 6/1 – IS IN GREAT FORM WINNING THE G3 NOBLE DAMSEL AND PROVED VERY TOUGH TO BEAT IN THE G3 SWANEE RIVER LAST TIME. HARD TO SEE HER OUTDUELING ALL THE SPEED SIGNED ON HERE BUT HAS WON 6 OF HER LAST 10 BEING IN THE SUPERFECTA IN ALL 10 RACES.

 

RACE 10 – FRED W. HOOPER G3 – $150,000 1 MILE

#1 FEARLESS 5/2 – YET ANOTHER PLETCHER RUNNER. BIG THREAT OFF HIS G3 WIN LAST TIME IN THE HARLAN’S HOLIDAY AND ALSO A G2 WIN IN THE GP MILE LAST FEBRUARY, BOTH AT GULFSTREAM. HE WAS ALSO IN THE MONEY IN THE G3 PIMLICO SPECIAL AND THE G2 OAKLAWN HANDICAP. 9 OF 11 IN THE MONEY WITH 8 OF THOSE FINISHES FIRST OR SECOND, WITH 5 WINS.

#6 LIAM 5/1 – ANOTHER PLETCHER CONTENDER CAME OFF A 15 MONTH LAYOFF TO WIN IN AN EASY SPOT, BUT HER THIRD IN THE G3 OKLAHOMA DERBY IS BETTER THAN IT LOOKS AND HE PREFERS THIS DISTANCE.

#4 OFFICIATING 15/1 – HAS WON 2 STAKES IN HIS LAST 3, THE LAST A G3.  BOTH RACES WERE AT 7 FURLONGS. THIS IS A ONE TURN MILE AND A MILE IS CERTAINLY WITHIN HIS CAPABILITY AT A PRICE.

#8 SPEAKERS CORNER 2/1 – WAS NO FACTOR IN THE G1 PENNSYLVANIA DERBY BUT NEARLY TOOK THEM NEARLY ALL THE WAY IN THE $150K DISCOVERY AT AQUEDUCT LAST TIME IN A SMALL FIELD.

 

RACE 11 – PWC TURF INVITATIONAL G1 – $1,000,000 1 1/8 MILES TURF

#6 COLONEL LIAM 3/1 – IS THE MORE PROVEN CLASSY PLETCHER RUNNER WINNING 4 IN A ROW FROM DECEMBER 2020 TO MAY 2021, INCLUDING THIS RACE AND DEADHEATING WITH DOMESTC SPENDING IN THE G1 TURF CLASSIC AT CHURCHILL ON DERBY DAY. BIG CONCERN IS THE LONG LAYOFF BUT PLETCHER IS 26% WITH THIS ANGLE FROM A LARGE SAMPLE OF ALMOST 400 RUNNERS. NICE PRICE ON A DOUBLE GRADE 1 WINNER.

#12 NEVER SURPRISED 7/2 – HAS WON HIS LAST 2 IN SPECTACULAR FASHION, BOTH BY 6 OPEN LENGTHS. HE HAS WON ALL OF HIS NON-GRADED STAKES AND WAS SECOND IN ALL 3 GRADED TRIES. HAS THE SPEED TO OVERCOME THE OUTSIDE DRAW, COMING WITHIN A NECK OF WIRING THE G2 HILL PRINCE FIELD FROM THE 10 POST POSITION.  ANOTHER PLETCHER RUNNER WHO IS POISED TO HAVE A VERY BIG DAY.

#9 FIELD PASS 10/1 – HAS BEEN IN 10 STRAIGHT GRADED STAKES WINNING 3. HE JUST BARELY FAILED TO HOLD ON IN THE G3 KICKERBOCKER AND DUG IN AND GRIMLY HELD OFF THE FAST-CLOSING SACRED LIFE WHO BEAT HIM IN THEIR PREVIOUS MEETING. BIG THREAT AT DECENT ODDS.

#8 SACRED LIFE 6/1 – LAST 3 HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD FOR CHAD BROWN BUT DOESN’T WIN ENOUGH TO MAKE A SHORT PRICE PALATABLE. NONETHELESS YOU KNOW HE WILL BE COMING LATE WITH A RELENTLESS BID.

 

RACE 12 – PEGASUS WORLD CUP G1 – $3,000,000 1 1/8 MILES

#4 LIFE IS GOOD 7/5 – EVERY WISE GUY IS PICKING THIS ONE OVER DEFENDING CHAMP AND BREEDER’S CUP CLASSIC WINNER KNICKS GO. THE PREVAILING WISDOM IS THAT HE WILL OUTRUN THE OLD PRO AND THAT KNICKS GO IS MONEY IN THE BANK WHEN ALLLOWED ALONE ON THE LEAD BUT HASN’T ALWAYS REPSONDED WELL WHEN CHALLENGED. THIS PLETCHER RUNNER (FORMERLY BOB BAFFERT) MAY HAVE BEEN THE BEST 3YO LAST YEAR IF HE HADN’T BEEN INJURED PRIOR TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY. KNICKS GO WON THIS RACE LAST YEAR AFTER WINNING THE BC DIRT MILE.

#1 KNICKS GO 6/5 – IS ALWAYS UNDERRATED AND WAS 3/1 WHEN WINNING THE BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC. THIS IS REPORTEDLY HIS LAST RACE AND HE SHOULD BE GOING ALL OUT FROM THE RAIL. HE BEAT A VERY CLASSY GROUP OF THREE-YEAR- OLDS IN THE BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC, A DERBY AND BELMONT WINNER. THE THINKING IS THAT LIFE IS GOOD IS ON THE WAY UP, WHILE KNICKS GO IS HEADED TO RETIREMENT BUT DON’T UNDERESTIMATE HIM. HE HAS WON 8 OF HIS LAST 10 RACES, 4 OF THEM GRADE 1’S.

#6 SIR WINSTON 12/1 – BELMONT WINNER IN 2019, HE IS THE LOGICAL CLOSER TO FEAR IF THE TOP 2 GO TOO LAST EARLY. HE ALSO ISN’T A COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS RUNNER AND HIS LAST 4 RACES HAVE SHOWN A RETURN TO THE FORM THAT WON HIM THE BELMONT STAKES.

 

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