Saturday’s Pegasus Update

[Wandering Eyes]

• Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr.’s MGISW City of Light (Quality Road) sparkled in his first local work and final breeze ahead of a final career start in the $9-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano was up for the breeze, which saw the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile hero go a half-mile in :47.26 over a fast main track–fastest of 103 horses at the distance.

“I thought it was a very good work,” trainer Mike McCarthy said. “It looked like the horse got over the racetrack nicely. Javier was very pleased. He cooled out well and looks good.”

• Likely Pegasus favorite and 2018 Horse of the Year finalist Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) put in his final breeze for the race Saturday at Santa Anita, going five furlongs in a bullet :58.80 (1/45). The GI Breeders’ Cup Classic winner is scheduled to arrive at Gulfstream Jan. 22.

“The track has a good bottom to it,” trainer John Sadler said. “It’s still got a little moisture in it and I wanted to go on Saturday all along. We got here and walked on it about four in the morning and felt it was pretty good, so cross your fingers and off we go.”

• Also working for the Pegasus Saturday were Gunnevera (Dialed In), third in last year’s race, who covered six furlongs in 1:13.20 (1/2) at Gulfstream Park West; 2018 GI Florida Derby winner Audible (Into Mischief), who worked four furlongs in a bullet :48.42 (1/21) at Palm Beach Downs; and GI Cigar Mile H. winner Patternrecognition (Adios Charlie), who covered four furlongs in :49.45 (16/95) at Palm Meadows.

• Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}) worked five furlongs in :59.80 (2/42) Saturday morning at the Fair Grounds in his final major training move ahead of the Pegasus. “The horse worked great,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “He’s doing great.”

• After revealing to TDN’s Bill Finley Jan. 12 that MGISW McKinzie (Street Sense) was “very doubtful” for the Pegasus, Bob Baffert said in Saturday’s Santa Anita Stable Notes that he will point the ‘TDN Rising Star’ to the GI Santa Anita H., using the GII San Pasqual S. as a prep. “We’re going to run here [at Santa Anita] if all’s well,” Baffert said.

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