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Pegasus World Cup Day Features Four Graded Stakes on Undercard

Fountain of Youth
The Fountain of Youth card Saturday at Gulfstream Park features nine stakes(Photo credit: © Richardpross | Dreamstime.com).

The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by Baccarat; the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G3) presented by Qatar Racing, and the $500,000 TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G3) presented by Pepsi will supported on the Jan. 28 program at Gulfstream Park by four other graded stakes with star appeal.

The $200,000 Inside Information (G2), a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares; the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3), a mile stakes for 4-year-olds and up; the $200,000 William L. McKnight (G3), a 1 ½-mile event for 4-year-olds and up on turf; and the $150,000 La Prevoyante (G3), a 1 ½-mile stakes for older fillies and mares on turf; will featured on the Pegasus World Cup Day undercard.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is represented on the Inside Information nominations list of 20 female sprinters by Juddmonte’s Obligatory and Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc.’s Frank’s Rockette.

Obligatory, who finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) with a wide rally from 12th, captured the Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs last spring after winning the Hurricane Bertie (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Frank’s Rockette, a durable multiple graded-stakes winner with earnings over $1.2 million, is coming off a 12 ¼-length victory in the Dec. 31 Sugar Swirl (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

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Gatsas Stables, R. A. Hill Stable and Steven Schoenfeld’s Midnight Stroll, who captured the 2022 Delaware Oaks (G3) and finished third last time out in the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland; Rodney Lundock’s Maryquitecontrary, a rising star who extended her winning streak to four in a row with a dominating victory in the Dec. 31 Rampart at Gulfstream Park; Godolphin LLC’s Famed, a late-developing daughter of champion Uncle Mo who is coming off a 6 ½-length victory in the She’s All In Stakes at Remington Park for trainer Brad Cox; and the Todd Pletcher-trained graded stakes-placed duo, St. Elias Stable’s Colorful Mischief and Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Favor; are among the most prominent fillies and mares nominated to the Inside Information.

Fred W. Hooper Draws 36 Nominations

The Fred W. Hooper drew 36 nominations, including Pegasus World Cup invitees and expected starters Art Collector and Get Her Number, as well as reserve invitees Mark Breen’s Endorsed, Dream Team One Racing Stable’s Hoist the Gold and Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC’s Ridin With Biden.

Mike Maker-trained Endorsed, who finished fourth in last year’s Pegasus World Cup, is coming off a late-rallying optional claiming allowance score Dec. 22 at Gulfstream Park.

Dallas Stewart-trained Hoist the Gold, a 4-year-old son of Mineshaft, finished third in the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita last time out.

Butch Reid-trained Ridin With Biden, a 5-year-old gelded son of Constitution, has won back-to-back stakes at Parx, where he captured the Greenwood Cup (G3) last fall.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is represented by five on the Hooper nominations list: Whisper Hill Farm’s Charge It, the 2022 Florida Derby (G1) runner-up who has been idled since winning the Dwyer (G3) by 23 lengths in July; Sumaya U.S. Stables’ Pioneer of Medina, runner-up to Skippylongstocking in the Dec. 31 Harlan’s Holiday (G3); Team Valor International LLC’s Untreated, a multiple graded stakes-placed son of Nyquist who has been idle since finishing off the board in the Oct. 1 Ack Ack (G3) at Churchill Downs; Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable’s Wit, a graded-stakes winner on dirt who finished third on turf in the Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar last time out and is invited to the Pegasus Turf; and St. Elias Stable’s Dr Post, a comebacking multiple Grade 1-placed 6-year-old.

Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Grade 1 winner Highland Chief, trained by Graham Motion, is prominent among 31 turf performers on the McKnight nominations list. The 6-year-old Irish-bred captured the 2022 Man O’ War (G1) at Belmont and finished off the board in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) last time out.

Alex Daigneault and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Abaan is also nominated to defend his two-length victory in the McKnight for Pletcher.

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Channel Maker, the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning turf male who has banked more than $3.7 million, is the most recognizable turf starter on the nomination list.

Maker Nominates Eight for McKnight

Trainer Mike Maker has eight McKnight nominees, including Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Temple, who captured the Mac Diarmida (G2) at Gulfstream last season before finishing third in the United Nations (G1) at Monmouth and second behind Highland Chief in the Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland.

The La Prevoyante drew 16 nominations, including Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf invitee Steven Parkin’s Lady Rockstar, a Brendan Walsh trainee who most recently finished second in the Suwanee River (G3) at Gulfstream.

Godolphin LLC’s Adventuring, who captured the Ladies Marathon (G3) at Kentucky Downs and was third most recently in the Cardinal (G3) at Churchill Downs, represents trainer Brad Cox, who is scheduled to saddle Cyberknife for a start in the Pegasus World Cup, on the La Prevoyante list.

The $100,000 Carousel Club, a mile-and-70-yard overnight handicap for 4-year-olds and up, will also be featured on the Pegasus World Cup Day undercard.