Pegasus World Cup (Grade 1)- $500.000 Purse
GP- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
January 26, 2019
On a muddy track, a great field of runners assembled for the third running of the Pegasus World Cup, formerly known as the Donn Handicap. At stake was a purse of $9,000.000, wait no, make that $500.000 for the race winner. Back at the end of May, Smokey Stover paid a big price to acquire State Police from Team 7 Illusions, $1,000 plus the obligatory 77 cents, and the results have been good and successful. Probably a win-win for both buyer and seller with that sale. In the Pegasus World Cup, Smokey will settle for the actual purse of this race, but probably would have been heartbroken if Splash Mountain (anyone but him?) caught his horse at the end. Congratulations to Smokey on the win, and to the winning jockey, R Bejarano. The time of the win in the mud was 1:51.39. Here is a look at it!
(½ Mile- :48.07)- From the outside post, Superbourg jumps out to the early lead for La Canada Racehorses. He is able to clear the field and move over close to the rail, in the second lane, about midway into the turn. Also starting well would be the reigning BC Classic winner, Splash Mountain, as John Henry looked to score his second Pegasus win of the day. It looked like it would be those two setting the early pace, but they were soon joined by Performance Artist, from Serenity Stables, who was not immediately strong out of the gate, but pushed to the front with a wide move while within the turn. Alydar Stables’ Audioslave considered this move as well, and would assume a stalking position. Just to his inside, would be the eventual winner, State Police, from Smokey Stover, keeping in close pursuit of the early speeders. The filly, Whispering Nurse was to his inside for D J C Racing Stables. Simple Request ran 7th while on the outside of four wide for Saratoga Stud. In that group were, from inside to outside, Air Show (Mb Stables), Kryptonite (TwinTowersRacing), and Centerpiece (Mb Stables), plus Trumpomatic (Night Rider Stables) was only half a length behind that, and that group was only three and a half lengths from the lead. Pretty Ferro (Estero Farms) was a length behind that, then it was a larger gap to the trailers, Stranger (D J C Racing Stables), and Sacred Brave (Blushing Meadows).
(3/4 Mile- 1:12:44)- During the backstretch, they became five wide. The lead is still credited to Splash Mountain, who has the inside position; and Superbourg is second. The two who had been stalking, Audioslave and State Police each looked to join the frontrunners. Audioslave was the first to try, but State Police would show a little more capability to make this work, running to the inside of Audioslave, and to the outside of Performance Artist. Simple Request was advancing, and with visions of making this a six wide group. Whispering Nurse, Air Show, and Centerpiece were running well, but needed something to give with the wall that was forming in front of them. Kryptonite, Trumpomatic, and Pretty Ferro were at the mercy of finding lanes with what happened in front of them. Stranger and Sacred Brave remained at the back.
(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- As they round the turn, the five wide group at the front takes care of itself. Splash Mountain looks very good at this point, outpacing his rivals and taking a length and a half lead over second place State Police. He was even a little better then State Police around the turn, so John Henry had to be feeling good. However, he did have the rail, and State Police was running in the fourth lane. Those they had been running with all dropped out. Audioslave was lethargic around the turn, and Performance Artist was not much better. Superbourg was holding on, at least. Centerpiece had advanced to fourth, and had about three lengths to make up. Air Show and Simple Request each seemed to have a decent shot here as well. Pretty Ferro and Kryptonite did not have much running room. Trumpomatic lost some ground, and neither Stranger nor Sacred Brave were advancing.
(Finish- 1:51.39)- Splash Mountain led with about a furlong to go, but it was in jeopardy. The State Police was coming, and Centerpiece was making a good bid as well. This set us up for a good duel between these three, and they would hit the wire together. State Police showed tremendous heart, responding to the challenge of Centerpiece. Splash Mountain did all he could to hold them off, but in the end, a photo finish reveals that State Police would not be denied, edging out Splash Mountain and Centerpiece for the victory. Simple Request, who was wide throughout the race, gets fourth. Air Show came up for fifth, and Pretty Ferro actually ran better then it might seem at first glance, he just had no room to run. He is sixth, topping Kryptonite, Superbourg, Whispering Nurse, Sacred Brave, Stranger, Performance Artist, Trumpomatic, and Audioslave.
About The Winner- State Police, trained by Smokey Stover, and ridden to victory by R Bejarano, is a five year old horse by Cherokee Sunset, and is out of the late Black Sholes. He was bred in California by Team 7 Illusions as a third quarter two year old, and acquired by Smokey Stover, via private sales in May 2018, for $1,000.770. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his ninth in 20 starts, his fourth stake win, and third graded win. His career earnings are now $1,465.150.
Track: Muddy
Time: :48 1:122 1:374 1:511
$2 Mutuel Prices:
$1 Exacta: 7 – 5 Paid 36.80
$1 Trifecta: 7 – 5 – 4 Paid 758.10
Scratched: None
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
