Accelerate, Audible Top Pegasus Works

[Wandering Eyes]

Preparations for the Jan. 26 GI Pegasus World Cup continued Saturday with a bevy of stakes horses working across the country. Leading the fray, likely Pegasus favorite and 2018 Horse of the Year finalist Hronis Racing’s Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) covered six furlongs in a bullet 1:13.40 at Santa Anita (VIDEO, Courtesy XBTV). Winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs Nov. 3, the John Sadler trainee recorded the fastest of 18 works at the distance Saturday.

“He galloped out (seven furlongs) in (one) :27.41,” said trainer John Sadler, who had assistant trainer Juan Leyva aboard for the drill. “He worked really well, just like himself…He went great. I like to think he’s on the same pattern he was before he won the Pacific Classic.”

In regards to the next step, Sadler added, “He might work seven furlongs next Saturday, or possibly three quarters in company and gallop out. That will be the biggest work of the series, next Saturday.”

Accelerate is scheduled to ship east Jan. 21.

Also preparing at Santa Anita, City of Light (Quality Road), who defeated Accelerate in the GII Oaklawn H. last April, went five furlongs for Michael McCarthy in a bullet 1:00, fastest of 102 drills at the distance. The 5-year-old won the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in his latest start Nov. 3.

On the East Coast, 2017 GI Florida Derby winner Audible (Into Mischief) completed five furlongs in 1:01.45, ranking fourth of eight horses at Palm Beach Downs yesterday (VIDEO, Courtesy XBTV) .Campaigned by China Horse Club, Head of Plains, Starlight Racing and WinStar Farm, the won four of five starts before finishing third in the GI Kentucky Derby last season. The Todd Pletcher pupil most recently finish second in Gulfstream’s GIII Harlan’s Holiday Dec. 15. Also priming for the Pegasus in Southern Florida, multiple graded-stakes winner Gunnevera (Dialed In), third in the 2018 Pegasus and runner up in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, breezed six furlongs in 1:15.20 at Gulfstream Park West.

A recent arrival to the Gulfstream Park equine colony, Stronach Stables’ Something Awesome (Awesome Again), accompanied by Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado, negotiated a mile in 1:42 over Gulfstream’s main track. Prado will ride in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus (YOUTUBE VIDEO).

“I had another horse at the half-mile pole and they finished together,” explained trainer Jose Corrales. “He did it very comfortable. Everything looks good.”

It was the first work for Something Awesome since going 1 1/8 miles in 2:01 at his home base of Laurel Park Dec. 15. He shipped to Gulfstream on Christmas Day and has been getting acclimated to his surroundings.

“I don’t care about the time; I just care about the horse and how he reacts and how he finishes and how he comes back,” Corrales said. “He’s handled everything very, very good. Everything is good so far.”

Something Awesome won five of his first six starts since joining Corrales in the fall of 2017, including victories in the seven-furlong GIII General George S. and GII Charles Town Classic at nine furlongs.

While the field for this year’s Pegasus on the main track appears to be locked down, the $7-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational continues to take shape. Corrales was also represented Saturday at Gulfstream with another Stronach homebred, multiple graded placed Unbridled Juan (Unbridled’s Song). The 7-year-old went seven furlongs in 1:04.44, the 40^th fastest of 44 moves at the distance Saturday. Winner of his two most recent starts, including Laurel’s Richard W. Small S. Nov. 10, he is under consideration for the, the richest grass race in North America.

“He did OK. Everything is good with him,” Corrales said. “I think with the way he’s training, he can compete in that kind of race.”

Also targeting the Turf, Accelerate’s John Sadler-trained stablemate dual Grade II winner Catapult (Kitten’s Joy), who ran second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile last out, worked six furlongs in 1:14 Saturday at Santa Anita. The move was the fourth fastest of 18 at the distance Saturday.

 

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