Pegasus World Cup Works Friday Feature Cugino and Disco Time

[Wandering Eyes]

The Pegasus World Cup card, to be held Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park, continued to take shape in Florida as several contenders turned in works Friday, including GII Red Smith Stakes winner Cugino (Twirling Candy), who is pointing to the $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf.

The West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig Racing colorbearer breezed a half-mile in :49.11 (5/18) on Gulfstream's main track. He was last seen finishing second to Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) in the GIII Fort Lauderdale Stakes Dec. 20, the local Pegasus Turf prep.

“No shame in losing to that horse,” West Point senior vice president Tom Bellhouse said. “We're all systems go. [Cugino] is just so honest and fun. He tries every time. He was a little unlucky early in his career, but I think we fit with the big boys. [Hopefully] we can get maybe a little more pace in this race than where was last time.”

West Point has had a number of Pegasus Day entrants, beginning with the inaugural edition in 2017.

“It's exciting,” Bellhouse said. “We've been very, very blessed to run on Pegasus Day ever since the first Pegasus with Breaking Lucky, and almost every year have some type of participant whether it's on the turf or in the big dance. It's always a thrill for us.”

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher also sent out a pair of Pegasus contenders at Palm Beach Downs Friday.

St. Elias Stable's Captain Cook (Practical Joke), a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', went five furlongs in 1:01.65 for five furlongs in company. The Withers Stakes winner and GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes runner-up is pointing to the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup.

Spendthrift Farm's four-time graded winner Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) breezed four furlongs in :50.48 seconds. He's targeting the Pegasus Turf.

Juddmonte homebred Disco Time (Not This Time), recently featured in these pages, will put his perfect record on the line in the Pegasus World Cup. He worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 in company for Brad Cox.

In addition, fan favorite and 10-time graded stakes-winning multimillionaire Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), readying for a fourth straight run in the Pegasus, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.65 over the main track at Palm Meadows for Saffie Joseph, Jr.

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