Saturday Horse Racing: It's Pegasus Day at Gulfstream and RT picks the 9th, 10th, 11th and the $3 million 12th
Rt’s Plays Pegasus Day, 2021
Killing some airport time with the pp’s spread out, here are a few stakes race selections at Gulfstream on Saturday the 23rd
Race 9 – The $200K Inside Information Stakes
Fillies and mares, 4yo’s↑ going seven furlongs.
With her leading 15:5-0-4 for $449K, or $30K per race, #7 Sally’s Curlin (9/2) is the class of this race and will get a quick pace to close in on today. Someone may want to tell Edgar Zayas on #4 Thisismine (7/2) that this is not a $62.5K optional claimer or a GPW stakes race where he will be uncontested on the lead. #5 Piedi Bianchi (12/1), #1 Dream Marie (5/1) and #8 Sound Machine (8/1) will be grinding it out right along with him and that will set up the trip for either #2 Cinnabunny (3/1) or Sally’s Curlin. My money will be on Sally’s Curlin. She has had success at the G2 and G1 levels and Corey Lanerie gets his second shot on her. Two bullet works since her last race and she will be flying late.
Race 10 – The $150K W. L McKnight Stakes
4yo’s↑ racing twelve furlongs
A little over two years ago, I watched #8 Sir Anthony (12/1) crush allowance company at Hawthorne in a downpour. A month later, he was moved to Gulfstream for The Harlan’s Holiday Stakes. There was an article about the race and a certain writer explained how Audible, a Todd Pletcher trainee, was going to win in a cinch and you may as well “single your horizontal plays in this one.” Emailing him, I bet dinner that Sir Anthony would win it. Never hearing back until Sir Anthony hugged the rail on the turn, turned up the juice to win going away, he replied with “how did you know that would happen and a follow up, “do you have any more long shots like that?” Since that time, I have watched this Mineshaft colt struggle and win on occasion. Getting frustrated about a year ago, I tried to find a phone or email address to the ownership group and finally had to send snail mail. I explained that this horse runs well in the slop which readily translates to turf. Lo and behold, a month ago, he was entered into a two mile event on turf and gave his signature late kick to win. That was his first turf race and he will improve from that today. So, Mr. Turf Writer, here is a chance to grab a terrific turf horse for a price.
Race 11 – The $1M G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational
4yo’s↑ going eleven furlongs
It is confounding why #1 Next Shares has a morning line of 20/1. With $1.9M in earnings and running her third race in seven weeks after a three month layoff, you have to believe the odds will plunge. If not, this is a good time to take a shot. #8 Anothertwistafate (5/1) looks like an entirely different horse since Peter Miller took him over and moved the progeny of Scat Daddy to turf. Joel Rosario blows into SoFla to ride him and you will see him pressing the pace with today’s stretch out. “Some horses will run good races over certain tracks, while in the same company under similar conditions on other tracks they will run very disappointingly.” Considering he is 5:4-1-0 for $206K on GP turf, #6 Largent (7/2) fits that Pittsburg Phil maxim to a tee. A son of Into Mischief, Largent just kicked G2 butt a month ago and returned to training with two bullet works. Paco Lopez will have him flying late. Going to the outside post with #12 Social Paranoia (8/1) who appears positioned for a big run and will tuck in around the turn, lay near the lead, and fly home late.
Race 12 – The $3M Pegasus Cup World Invitational
4yo’s↑ going ten panels
Simple enough, I am taking the one who has been heavily pointing to this event, #7 Tax (5/1)