by Godolphin Authority (faucet) had his final big workout at the Fair Grounds on Saturday in preparation for the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream on January 28. The 5-year-old’s official time to travel six miles to column seven. eighth is 1:13.20 , the fastest of the two works at the Saturday morning gap.
Working in tandem with steady friend Global Sensation (Into Mischief), the pair finished 5/8 in 1:00.40, with Proxy working an extra 1/8 mile over the wire. With so many horses at work shortly after the track was halted for renovations, gymnast Arturo Aparicio ran into traffic and had to steer Proxy around a few galloping horses behind. their own training sessions.
“Basically, the Proxy has to go around those horses and weave a little bit to get around the turn,” explains Stidham. “It can take him a while or two the last time. But a very nice job. He finished well and went out really well and continued to gallop at the rear.”
He added, “Last job [five-eighths in a minute flat] and this work are two important works. I just want to see him finish voluntarily and then continue the spin with good energy. He did it last time and this time it was really good.
Runner-up in GIII Lecomte S. and GII Risen Star S. in the spring of his sophomore year, the hybrid finished fourth in the GII Louisiana Derby and GIII Lexington S. before bowing for the rest of the season. In 2022, he’s back with an allowance win in New Orleans in February before hitting the board in four subsequent starts, including the third in GII Stephen Foster S. last summer. Challenged with the Class I company for the first time on November 25, Clark, he went home with the winner 3/4 of the length nine miles, the same distance as Pegasus.
“We talked about it, that Proxy wasn’t quite where he needed to be to win the Triple Crown,” explains Stidham. “It’s not ‘Oh, why don’t we do this or that?’ It’s a performance agreement. Trust me, the reason [2021 G1 Dubai World Cup scorer] mystical guide [Ghostzapper] did what he did for that, allowing us to go slow with him and skip some of the big races, including the Breeders’ Cup. With Proxy, bypassing the Triple Crown allowed us to win Clark. I don’t think many people realize how important those decisions are to a horse’s career, to their future.”
Also working for Pegasus, Saffie Joseph Jr. sent Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking (The Magnifier) and Fernando Vine Ode and Michael and Jules Iavarone’s O’Connor (Chi) (Boboman) to the main track in Palm Meadows for an easy half-mile on Saturday morning.
Skippylongstocking crossed the half-mile with a record: 48.50 (18/99), while O’Connor clocked in: 51.05 (88/99) at Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. Both horses flew for the first time since running in GIII Harlan’s Holiday S., winning over Skippylongstocking. O’Connor finished fourth on the eight-and-a-half-long test on December 31.
Joseph Jr. also coached White Abarrio (Race Day) who prepared for Pegasus at Gulfstream on Friday morning with a 5-year job at: 59.24.
Joseph also sent Ken Ramsey and Sarah Ramsay’s Estate Artie’s princess (We Miss Artie) hit the main track of Palm Meadows at half a mile at: 48.45 to prepare for the start of the GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf invite.
Join Pegasus Turf
At Santa Anita Saturday Morning, Eclipse’ Purebred Partner Scout (Mr Speaker), who won the December 3 GI Hollywood Derby, covered the half-mile with a time of: 48.20 to start in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. Also pointing towards Turf, Three Diamonds Farm Expiate posted its third straight shot on Saturday at Gulfstream, crossed 5/8 mile in: 59.96 (1/48). Two weeks earlier, Atone was working at :59.04 and :59.20.
Buying a $130,000 Fasig-Tipton in July, he led at a leisurely pace to win the final start, a grant on the Aqueduct on November 10.
“He is in top form. Coach Mike Maker, who won the 2020 Pegasus Turf with the Zulu Alpha, said: “The refresh has done him well, so I expect another great performance from him.” “He was always a straight horse, good work, very good gallop.”
For the second year in a row, Atone needed to defect from Pegasus Turf’s original invitees to run for office. Last year, he finished fourth, losing a total of 1 3/4 to two-time winner Colonel Liam (Map of Liam).
While the 6-year-old gelding has never won a bet, he has beaten the board five times on graded bets in the past 13 months.
Maker said: “He was a bit of an unlucky horse. “This year he is a lot more mature than last year.”
The producer also pointed out Mark Breen’s confirm (Medaglia d’Oro), fourth place at last year’s Pegasus World Cup at 85-1 odds, and GIII winner Knickerbocker S. of Nice Guy Stables king cause (creative cause), who are waiting for a spot in the Pegasus Turf, will run if they enter the respective races.
Both horses are currently on the reserve list. The final invite list will be announced on Wednesday, January 18 with the draw for all Pegasus races taking place on Sunday, January 22.
