The fourth time was the appeal for veteran 7-year-old Skippylongstocking, who rallied to win the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes on Jan. 24 whereas making his fourth straight begin within the Grade 1 occasion at Gulfstream Park.
Skippylongstocking raced 1 1/8 miles on a quick principal monitor for coach by Saffie Joseph Jr. beneath jockey Tyler Gaffalione in 1.48.49 and paid $45.20 for a $2 win wager. Skippylongstocking’s Saffie Joseph-trained stablemate White Abarrio completed 1 3/4 lengths behind in second. Full Serrano was third.
Skippylongstocking lastly registered his first Grade 1 win after beforehand beginning 35 instances and incomes $3.7 million. He additionally emerged from the shadow of the opposite 7-year-old in Joseph’s barn, White Abarrio, who gained final 12 months’s Pegasus World Cup after additionally successful high-profile races just like the Breeders’ Cup Basic, Whitney Stakes, and Florida Derby earlier in his profession. The chances stated all of it in regards to the pecking order with White Abarrio 3-1 on the tote board and Skippylongstocking at 21-1.
“He deserved it,” Joseph stated about Skippylongstocking. “Skippy has run quick sufficient to win a Grade 1 however he by no means had, and individuals are going to knock you if you do not have a Grade 1 win. Now he has one.”
Joseph stated a visit to the $12 million Dubai World Cup might subsequent be in play for Skippylongstocking, and, with the Pegasus designated as a Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection occasion for the primary time, he additionally earned a free spot on this fall’s $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic.
But for the entire drama wrapped into Skippylongstocking’s win, what overwhelmed Joseph with emotion was the efficiency of White Abarrio.
“Within the stretch, I used to be rooting for White Abarrio to win,” Joseph stated. “I really feel unhealthy saying it, however I’m telling you the reality.”
Gulfstream is often type to early velocity round two turns however Skippylongstocking rallied from ninth within the area of 12.
Disco Time, the 3-2 favourite within the tenth version of the Pegasus, set the early fractions of :22.25, :46.08, and 1:09.87, however halfway on the ultimate flip White Abarrio and Irad Ortiz Jr. cast to the entrance and began to attract away. He led by 1 1/2 lengths within the stretch together with his stablemate mounting the one severe cost. Gaffalione received Skippylongstocking to the entrance leaving the sixteenth pole and completed the 1 1/8 miles first in 1:48.49.
“Every thing went to plan,” Gaffalione stated.
Full Serrano completed 5 1/2 lengths behind White Abarrio again in third. Disco Time wound up eighth, struggling his first loss in six profession begins.
Skippylongstocking’s profession earnings are actually earned $5,461,250.
A Pegasus Day file $48,558,149 was wagered on Gulfstream’s 13-race card, an enormous bounce from final 12 months’s $41,700,225.
Take a look at Rating outran stablemate One Stripe to provide coach Graham Movement a 1-2 end within the $1 million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park. Take a look at Rating, who completed his sophomore season close to the pinnacle of the category within the 3-year-old grass division, aced his first 4-year-old debut within the Pegasus Turf.
A 3-time graded stakes winner final 12 months as a 3-year-old, Take a look at Rating rebounded from a detailed third-place end within the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in his closing begin of 2025 when visitors issues hampered his end, and he settled for third. He had no such challenges Saturday within the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf, sitting a candy journey in fourth for a lot of the race whereas saving floor round each turns as Cabo Spirit carved out the tempo whereas clear on the lead by means of fractions of :23.71, :47.23, and 1:10.58.
Angled out by jockey Manny Franco coming into the stretch, Take a look at Rating out-finished his rivals after taking on from Cabo Spirit in mid-stretch. Placing the entrance, Take a look at Rating had sufficient to repel One Stripe, who previously was a champion miler in South Africa. He prevailed by a neck in 1:47.04 for the space on agency turf.
“I imply, each horses ran tremendous,” Movement stated. “Manny gave Take a look at Rating the proper journey immediately.”
Almendares, a Southern California shipper for coach Phil D’Amato, ran third, a size behind the runner-up. Astronomer ran fourth. Favored Program Buying and selling, who shot by means of an enormous hole on the rail into the stretch, had no excuse and completed fifth.
Take a look at Rating earned his largest payday Saturday in accumulating a $516,000 winner’s share of the purse. That advances his profession earnings to $2,000,525, completed with a 5-3-3 file in 13 begins. He paid $17.20 to win.
Movement stated Take a look at Rating would obtain a well-earned break after a protracted marketing campaign all through a lot of his 3-year-old season main into the Pegasus. He additionally expressed pleasure for what could also be seen from One Stripe this 12 months. — Byron King
Destino d’Oro improved her Gulfstream Park file to 2-for-2 with a come-from-behind upset victory within the $490,500 Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes introduced by TAA on Jan. 24.
“She likes it down right here,” coach Brad Cox stated. “She received a great setup and a great journey immediately. It labored out effectively.”
In her first begin towards older fillies and mares Saturday, Destino d’Oro was shuffled again to eleventh out of the gate, and later progressively inched into rivalry beneath jockey Junior Alvarado. Turning for dwelling ninth in a area of 12, Alvarado tipped to the surface and stormed ahead with a rush, besting the late rallies of Crevalle d’Oro and Movin’ On Up to win by a half-length in 1:40.33. She paid $33.20 to win.
“I could not consider how a lot horse I had beneath me,” Alvarado stated. “She got here with a helluva run on the finish.”
Her second graded rating was the fifth lifetime win in eight begins for Destino d’Oro, who elevated her profession earnings to $829,884. — Sean Collins
