National Treasure Survives Late Scare To Win Pegasus World Cup

[Wandering Eyes]

NATIONAL TREASURE (c, 4, Quality Road–Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro), last year's GI Preakness S. hero and a latest second to Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Street Sense) in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 4, gave trainer Bob Baffert a third victory in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and his sire a second Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park. Flavien Prat was intent on being a forward factor aboard the 2-1 post-time favorite, but John Velazquez aboard GII Cigar Mile H. hero Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft) had similar designs on the lead and for that reason, the pace hotted up with a quarter in :23.18 and a half in ;46.32. The two had the race between them as they continued to race heads apart as they began to feel the exertions of their battle and National Treasure came after Hoist the Gold in earnest with a quarter mile to race. In the meantime, Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) was winding up with an inside run and would have had every chance given the shape of the race. It seemed inevitable that he'd race right by National Treasure in the deciding stages, but the latter had just enough in reserve to take it by a long neck. Crupi (Curlin) closed for third at longshot odds. Quality Road's son City of Light won the 2019 Pegasus. Sales history: $500,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG. O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Masterson, Robert E., Stonestreet Stables LLC, Schoenfarber, Jay A., Waves Edge Capital LLC and Donovan, Catherine; B-Peter E Blum Thorougbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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