Pegasus Contenders Work Saturday

[Wandering Eyes]

Grade I winner Audible (Into Mischief) breezed a half-mile in :48.68 (3/22) Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs ahead of an expected start in the Dec. 15 GIII Harlan’s Holiday S., which he is using as a prep for the GI Pegasus World Cup Jan. 26 at Gulfstream. The sophomore worked in company with Grade I-winning turf runner Hi Happy (Arg) (Pure Prize) (video).

“I think Audible has been training exceptionally well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “His breeze this morning was a good, solid half with a strong gallop-out, which is what we were looking for,” Pletcher said. “We really like the way he’s progressed since the Cherokee Run. You can see him physically developing from three to four, and he’s giving us all the right signs at the moment.”

Winner of the GI Florida Derby over the same track and trip as the Pegasus in March, Audible was a respectable third behind Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) in the GI Kentucky Derby May 5 and was subsequently shelved. The bay returned with a convincing victory in Churchill’s Cherokee Run S. last month.

“We just tried to lay out a game plan that would hopefully get us to the Pegasus and decided that the race at Churchill going seven furlongs was a good starting point,” Pletcher said. “I was pleased that he was able to show enough speed to be able to win at seven-eighths. We felt like the spacing and timing of that to the Harlan’s Holiday was good and … the timing from the Harlan’s Holiday to the Pegasus is kind of laid out just like you’d hope it would be if things continue to go as well as they currently are.”

Pegasus-bound Gunnevera (Dialed In) also worked Saturday at Gulfstream West, covering four panels in :50.80 (32/38) (video). The chestnut was last seen finishing second to Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 3.

“He worked really good, he did,” said jockey Irad Ortiz, who was aboard for the breeze and will have the call in the Pegasus. “They told me he doesn’t do too much in the morning, but he did good. I don’t know how fast he went, but I thought he went great. He was comfortable and he did everything right; very, very good.”

Accelerate was kept in training following his BC Classic victory with an eye on the Pegasus as his career finale. The chestnut was on the worktab at Santa Anita Saturday, breezing a half-mile in :49 flat (24/52) (video).

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