Gulfstream News & Notes: Connections Planning on Pegasus Turf for Colonel Liam

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Park News & Notes

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Robert and Lawana Low’s Colonel Liam continues to do well out of his comeback race in the Fort Lauderdale (G2) on New Year’s Eve at Gulfstream Park and remains on course for a three-peat effort in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 28.

Racing for the first time in 281 days, Colonel Liam broke from outside all but one of his 11 rivals in the Fort Lauderdale, the local prep for the Pegasus Turf, both races contested at 1 1/8 miles. Kept in the clear three wide by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Colonel Liam raced in striking distance into the stretch before tiring to be sixth, beaten less than four lengths.

Colonel Liam had been three-for-three on the Gulfstream turf, winning the 2020 Tropical Park Derby as a 3-year-old before beating stablemates Largent in 2021 and Never Surprised in 2022 in the Pegasus Turf.

Now 6, Colonel Liam was prominent among a dozen horses on the initial invite list to the Pegasus Turf, released Wednesday.

“He seems like he’s in good shape, so we’re still planning on the Pegasus Turf assuming that he trains accordingly,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Repole Stable’s Never Surprised is one of 11 reserve invitees to the Pegasus Turf. A three-time stakes winner including the 2021 Tropical Park Derby, the 5-year-old son of Constitution was only beaten a length in last year’s race and exits a runner-up finish in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance Dec. 17 at Tampa Bay Downs, his first race in 288 days.

Constitution won the Florida Derby (G1) in 2014 and the Donn Handicap (G1) – precursor to the Pegasus World Cup – in 2015, also for Pletcher.

“He’s doing well [and] looks good,” Pletcher said. “We’re thinking the same thing with him. If he breezes the way he should, we’re planning on giving him another try.”

Invitations to the Pegasus Turf, $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) and $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3) will be updated Jan. 11 and 18.

Pletcher said the Pegasus World Cup is under consideration for Sumaya U.S. Stables’ Pioneer of Medina, second by two lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Harlan’s Holiday (G3) Dec. 31.

“I think it’s on the radar,” he said. “We’ll see how he trains. I’ve got to talk to the owner, and we’ll come up with a plan.”

Pioneer of Medina ran fourth in the Risen Star (G2) and third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) last winter before finishing far back in the Kentucky Derby (G1). He has won one of four subsequent starts, setting the pace for a half-mile in the Harlan’s Holiday and digging in late to edge 2022 Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Simplification by a neck for second.

“He’s not a horse that really shows that much speed but he got a good start and put himself in a good spot, and he was traveling well. I thought it was a good effort from him,” Pletcher said. “It looked like he fought on hard to the wire and was able to get [up] for second.”

Showgirl Lynne B Back at Gulfstream for Ginger Brew

Westlake Racing Stable’s Showgirl Lynne B, off the board in back-to-back stakes attempts to end 2022, returns to Gulfstream Park in an attempt to regain her winning form in Saturday’s $100,000 Ginger Brew.

The Ginger Brew for 3-year-old fillies and $100,000 Dania Beach for 3-year-olds, both scheduled for one mile on the turf, co-headline an 11-race program that starts at 12:10 p.m.

Showgirl Lynne B, a chestnut daughter of 2014 Florida Derby (G1) and 2015 Donn Handicap (G1) winner Constitution, was a mid-week arrival in South Florida from trainer Bob Hess Jr.’s southern California base.

“We flew her in,” Hess said. “She got there [Wednesday] evening. We’re going to give her a little gallop [Friday] morning and we look forward to running her.”

Showgirl Lynne B began her career at Gulfstream, breaking her maiden in debut and capturing the Sharp Susan second time out last summer, both sprinting 5 ½ furlongs over the all-weather Tapeta course. She ran her record to 3-0 with a determined neck allowance triumph going 6 ½ furlongs on the Kentucky Downs turf.

From there Showgirl Lynne B ran seventh in the Steward Manor Nov. 5 at Aqueduct and eighth, beaten just five lengths, in the one-mile Jimmy Durante (G3) Dec. 3 at Del Mar.

“For whatever reason she’s been real bad in the paddock the last couple races, and she never was at Gulfstream, even acting kind of goofy in the gate,” Hess said. “I just want to get her back in an environment where she’s comfortable and happy the way she is at Gulfstream Park.”

Showgirl Lynne B drew the rail in the Ginger Brew which drew a field of nine including Todd Pletcher-trained Cairo Consort, twice Grade 1-placed after winning the Catch a Glimpse last summer; Navy Goat, a fellow stakes winner over the Gulfstream Tapeta; and Anna Karenine, making her first U.S. start for trainer Chad Brown.

“The post is fine. We’ll save ground and hopefully have enough late kick to get the job done,” Hess said. “We think she likes Gulfstream and she likes the turf. Hopefully she’ll get the mile. That’s sort of my main concern. It looks like a competitive race. Todd and Chad have a couple in there that look pretty good, but she’s doing well and she’s ready to go.”

Trio of Graded Winners Top Sunshine Sprint Nominees

Grade 2 winner Pappacap, Grade 3 winners Lightening Larry and Willy Boi and defending champion Gatsby are among 17 horses nominated to the $75,000 Sunshine Sprint Saturday, Jan. 14 at Gulfstream Park.

The six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up shares the spotlight with the $75,000 Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf for fillies and mares 4 and older scheduled for a mile on the grass, both races restricted to Florida-bred horses.

Rustlewood Farm, Inc.’s Pappacap, entered in an open one-mile optional claiming allowance Saturday at Gulfstream, has not raced since finishing fourth in the Amsterdam (G2) last July at Saratoga. The 4-year-old Gun Runner colt won the 2021 Best Pal (G2) at Del Mar and was second in the American Pharoah (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). He went winless in six 2022 starts, running second in the Woody Stephens (G1).

Lea Farms’ Lightening Larry owns three wins, two seconds and a third in seven career starts at Gulfstream including a victory in the 2022 Limehouse. Two starts later, the 4-year-old Uncaptured colt shipped to Pimlico to spring a 12-1 upset in the Chick Lang (G3).

Willy Boi is another son of Uncaptured also campaigned by Lea Farms and trained by Jorge Delgado. The 5-year-old has won five of eight Gulfstream starts with stakes victories in the 2022 Big Drama and Smile Sprint (G3). He was second by a half-length as the favorite in the FSS Marion County Dec. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Stakes winners Cajun’s Magic, Feast, Gatsby and King Cab are also among the nominees.

Second in last year’s race, 4004 Biscayne, Larry Buckendorf, Richard Hale Jr. and Jeffrey Lambert’s Sugar Fix heads a dozen nominees to the Filly & Mare Turf. The 6-year-old mare won the 2021 Claiming Crown Tiara at Gulfstream and also ran second in the Ginger Punch and Power Break last summer.

Bass Stables’ Avow, a daughter of 2017 Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner Arrogate, is nominated to make her stakes debut. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old filly has raced exclusively on the main track at Gulfstream, winning her first two starts by 13 ¼ combined lengths and running second in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Dec. 14.

Imaginary Stables’ Don’t Get Khozy owns 12 career wins, 11 coming at Gulfstream, and nearly $450,000 in purse earnings from 46 career starts. The 6-year-old mare exits a fourth in the seven-furlong City of Ocala Dec. 10 at Tampa.

Other nominees include Ambassador Luna, second in the 2021 Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G2) on the Keeneland turf, 2021 Myrtlewood winner Sweet Dani Girl and stakes-placed Mona Stella.

Cover Photo: Showgirl Lynne B; Ryan Thompson

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