The Pegasus World Cup field is forming as we breathe and there is a still a long way to go before the full gate of 12 will be in place. The trifecta players in the Breeders’ Cup Classic seem poised to compete again with longshots from around the world looming. The $12 million extravaganza will be run on January 28 at Gulfstream Park.
With Arrogate, California Chrome and Keen Ice set to roll after the Classic, the other contenders will need to really step up. The Pegasus World Cup field would have benefitted by having some major foreign influences and that may happen down the line.
With the options a bit limited as far as racing talent and the shareholders responsible for the Pegasus World Cup field, negotiations have had to be rather intense. Monty Hall of ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ fame would have been right in his element.
Besides the Classic trio, five others runners appear set to step up to the plate and join the Pegasus World Cup field.
War Story will have to have his combat boots on but he is coming to this race In fine shape. He was troubled when a rank outsider in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but returned with a solid try in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile. In that race he was only a neck out of third and that set him up for success in his next race. In War Story’s 2016 finale, he took the lead and never looked back in the Queens County Stakes at Aqueduct earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
Owner Paul Reddam was hoping to have Nyquist join the Pegasus World Cup field but the runner was retired and Semper Fortis will step into the spotlight. This is a versatile runner that was beaten just a head in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby but he will need to rebound to make an impact. In his last race, Semper Fortis was 34-1 in the Malibu Stakes opening day of Santa Anita and he only beat 3 horses to the wire.
Shaman Ghost, who is owned by the owner of Gulfstream Park Frank Stronach, was pointing toward the Breeders’ Cup but spiked a fever and had to be scratched. He showed his class last year winning the Grade 1 Woodward and returned to racing in late November in the Clark Handicap. He ran third in that event but has every right to move forward and give the Pegasus World Cup field a scare.
Neolithic is a true horse for the course as both of his wins came at Gulfstream Park. He broke his maiden in 2015, ran well in defeat in the Grade 3 Discovery in November at Aqueduct and then toyed with his rivals in his last race. That December 14 effort was visually impressive. He made the lead showing good speed going :45 4/5, 1:10 1/5 and finishing up the mile and sixteenth race in 1:41 2/5. He won by 9 lengths that day and earned a career best 103 Beyer. One thing Neolithic has going for him is that he has legit speed, but he doesn’t need the lead to succeed. He broke his maiden coming from 6th of 10 and he has been sensational working since his last victory. His work on January 7 of 1:00 2/5 suggests he is feeling pretty good about himself.
Eragon was recently bought by Jim McIngvale, who purchased a spot in the World Pegasus Cup with his runner Runhappy in mind. Runhappy was retired so Plan B was put into effect.
Eragon is battle-tested for sure. He has won half of his 20 career starts including a Group 1 win in Argentina in his last race. He will not be intimidated by the big Pegasus World Cup field as he has already beaten 15 rivals in his victory in June.
For the majority of the shareholders in the Pegasus World Cup, this inaugural situation is just the first step toward a common goal. If things unfold properly this year, this event has every right to grow by leaps and bounds and become one of the best opportunities in racing.
