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The giant statue of Pegasus fighting a dragon at Gulfstream Park.

2019 Pegasus World Cup Workout Photos

Date: 01/23/2019

The third running of the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is Saturday at Gulfstream Park and all the horses entered are on the grounds now. A full field of 12 was drawn for the World Cup with no also-eligibles. "New" for 2019 is the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), formerly run as the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. Here are some photos of the horses prepping for the races from Wednesday morning. Conditions were excellent during training hours, with cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 70's.

Accelerate drew post 5 as the 9-5 morning line favorite in his final career start before retiring to Lane's End Farm. He arrived on Tuesday night with stablemate Catapult who goes in the World Cup Turf. He galloped once around under exercise rider Javier Meza. Trainer John Sadler said of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner, "Accelerate's doing fine. They were delayed. They got in a little bit late last night. They had a good night. He went out and galloped a mile and a quarter, so everything looks good. He said he was looking around a bit. That would be expected the first day. He said he handled the track well, so he's pretty happy."
Bravazo drew the inside post and is 12-1 morning line. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said, "He made every dance and really represented us very well. He should have won both (the Preakness and the Clark Handicap). We came out of the Clark in grand order and the horse has trained beautifully since. Horses by that sire get better in their 4- and 5-year-old years. Calumet is committed to running him all this year, even next year. So we're looking for that maturity factor to move us ahead. We're only a half-length off of being as good as any of them. In order to have a great Pegasus we need those kind of horses in there, the competitive ones. I think we've got a great little bunch of horses coming together. Obviously, you have to look at Accelerate as the favorite, but you can't mail them in. Everybody has to go in the gate and see what happens."
City of Light drew post 3 and is the 5-2 second choice. Trainer Mike McCarthy said, "I'm very pleased to be drawn into the three-hole. It got down to the wire there with the three or the 12, so we were obviously very grateful to have the three-hole. He's a horse that carries his speed a long way, so hopefully we get a nice, clean break and find ourselves in a good position going into the first turn and turning up the backside. Very pleased with the way he's settled in. I was happy with the way he got over the racetrack Saturday morning. I thought his work was dynamite. He came out of it well and seems to be enjoying himself here. I don't know if a horse could have come into a race better than he did coming into the Breeders' Cup. Obviously, 10 or 11 weeks between races certainly seems to me like he is holding his form. Very pleased with what I've seen so far." Like Accelerate he will retire at Lane's End after this race.
Something Awesome drew post 2 and is 20-1 on the morning line. Trainer Jose Corrales said, "I think it's OK. You wish to be in the middle, but it's very difficult to get what you want. It's not the best position that you can get at that distance, but I go in with a rider that's won all kinds of races. When you have a rider like him, he knows what to do. They have to break and they have enough time before the first turn to make a decision where he wants to be. He's a horse that you can put anywhere. I think he's going to perform well. I go in with a good feeling that they have to run to beat him, because he's going to compete. It's not easy, but if everything was easy everybody would win the Pegasus."
Magic Wand and Hunting Horn galloped on the main track. Magic Wand, 4th in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) last out, drew the inside post in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational and is 9-2 morning line, while stablemate Hunting Horn drew post 8 in the W.L. McKnight Stakes (G3) on the undercard. Both are trained by Aidan O'Brien and get regular rider Wayne Lordan.
Catapult drew post 9 in the World Cup Turf and is 7-2 on the morning line. Trainer John Sadler said, "I think he's better than he was last year. He had a little foot issue after the Del Mar Mile and we trained him right into the Breeders' Cup, but he's been perfect out of the Breeders' Cup. I think he's in tip-top shape. His record is so good. He won both those stakes at Del Mar, and was almost kind of an unlucky loser in the Breeders' Cup Mile so his record is very, very good. They might look at the distance, but he won the Eddie Read at 1 1/8 and he's a big, strong horse. He won't have any problem with the distance."
Aerolithe drew post 4 in the Turf and is 8-1 morning line representing Japan. Trainer Takanori Kikizawa said, "Since Yoshida and Magic Wand are on the inside of her, the post-position will be good because she's on the outside of them. She'll go forward more likely at the beginning of the race, so I'm very happy with the post position."

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