Runners Get Final Works Before Pegasus Preview Day

[Wandering Eyes]

Spendthrift Farm LLC's Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso) was among several horses Saturday morning tuning up for Pegasus World Cup Preview card held next Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 3-year-old breezed a half-mile at Palm Beach Downs in preparation for the GIII Harlan's Holiday Stakes, a prep for the $3 million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 25 at Gulfstream.

Tuscan Sky, who is coming off a runner-up finish in the Discovery Stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 3, turned in the fastest clocking (:47.89) at the distance (1/24). He worked in company and finished on even terms with Spendthrift Farm LLC's Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), an entrant for Saturday's GII Fort Lauderdale Stakes, a prep for the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.

“Major Dude and Tuscan Sky breezed together. Both went well and both have been training well,” Pletcher said.

Wathnan Racing's Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), who is coming off a fourth-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar, breezed an easy five furlongs in 1:02.75 (9/12) for the Harlan's Holiday at Palm Meadows.

Others slated to run in the Harlan's Holiday include: Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Digital Ops (Nyquist); Bill Mott-trained Rocket Can (Into Mischief), who captured the GIII Holy Bull and finished second in the GII Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream last year; and Bobby Dibona-trained Steal Sunshine (Constitution), the winner of the 2023 GII Gulfstream Park Mile.

Whisper Hill Farm's Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) also represented Pletcher on the Palm Beach Downs worktab while preparing for a scheduled start in the Fort Lauderdale. The 5-year-old, who most recently finished off the board in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, was timed in :49.91 (8/24) for a leisurely half mile. Grand Sonata captured the GII Turf Cup Stakes at Kentucky Downs prior to the Breeders' Cup.

Pletcher's fellow Hall of Famers Mark Casse and Shug McGaughey will also be involved in the Fort Lauderdale. Casse-trained Win for the Money (Mohaymen), who finished off the board in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile after capturing the GI Woodbine Mile, and McGaughey-trained Fort Washington (War Front), who captured the GIII Monmouth Stakes, are entered to start. Emmanuel (More Than Ready), a former Pletcher trainee now conditioned by Michael Maker, is also entered in the Fort Lauderdale.

Pletcher was also pleased Saturday with Team Valor International LLC's Bless My Stars (Saf) (Gimmethegreenlight {Aus}), who is scheduled to make her U.S, debut in Saturday's Suwannee River Stakes, a mile turf stakes for fillies and mares that will serve as a prep for the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The South African-bred 5-year-old mare, who is Group 1-placed and a Group 2 winner, breezed a half mile in :49.89 (6/24) at Palm Beach Downs.

“We've been getting her acclimated and she's settled in well,” Pletcher said.

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