Pegasus: Joseph-Trained Invitees Breeze for $3M Pegasus World Cup (G1)

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Park Photo

Joseph-Trained Invitees Breeze for $3M Pegasus World Cup (G1)

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking and Michael and Julia Iavarone and Fernando Vine Ode’s O’Connor, multiple graded-stakes winners trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., breezed at Gulfstream Park Saturday morning in preparation for scheduled starts in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 27.

Skippylongstocking and O’Connor were joined on the worktab at Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach Country by John Fanelli and partners’ Ny Traffic, a Grade 1-placed stakes winner who is on the reserve invitational list for the Pegasus World Cup.

Skippylongstocking produced a ‘bullet’ after breezing five furlongs in 1:00.25 ahead of his first start since finishing third in the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Santa Anita.

The 5-year-old son of Exaggerator won the $1 million Charles Town Classic (G2) prior to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

O’Connor, who is coming off back-to-back graded-stakes victories in the Fayette (G2) at Keeneland and Harlan’s Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream, breezed a half-mile in 50.35 seconds.

The 7-year-old son of Boboman, who was a multiple Group winner in Chile, made a courageous drive along the rail to capture the 1 1/16-mile Harlan’s Holiday

Joseph said his Pegasus invitees, Skippylongstocking and O’Connor, have given him reason to expect them to improve on seventh- and 11th-place finishes, respectively, in last year’s running.

“They’re both doing well. They’ve both have become more consistent. O’Connor has rattled off two wins and overcame adversity, so you like to see that,” Joseph said. “Skippy used to be a horse that gave you one good one and one bad one, but he’s been consistent the last four races.”

Ny Traffic, who finished third behind O’Connor in the Harlan’s Holiday, breezed three furlongs in 36.45 seconds.

“From a training standpoint, he’s been training as well as when he was 3 and 4,” Joseph said. “If you look at his numbers he’s running as fast as he was when he was 3 and 4.”

Ny Traffic, now 7, finished second in the Haskell (G1) and third in the Risen Star (G2) during his 3-year-old season.

At Fair Grounds, Godolphin LLC’s First Mission breezed five furlongs in a minute-flat to produce his second straight ‘bullet’ workout in preparation for the Pegasus World Cup. The Brad Cox trainee, who won the Lexington at Keeneland last year, was nosed by Pegasus Invitee Trademark in the Nov. 24 Clark (G2) at Churchill Downs.

At Palm Beach Downs, Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Dynamic One and Pro Thoroughbred Enterprises LLC’s Grand Aspen, who are on the invitational list for the Pegasus, breezed for the Pegasus World Cup.

“We worked pretty much everything. I thought overall it was a good morning. We had some good works,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Everybody seemed to have done what we hoped, so right now we’re right on schedule.”

Dynamic One, who captured the Suburban (G2) at Belmont, breeze five furlongs in 59.31 seconds. Grand Aspen, who was defeated by O’Connor by a neck in the Harlan’s Holiday, breezed a half-mile in 48.40.

St. Elias Stable’s Crupi, a Pegasus World Cup reserve invitee, also breezed Saturday morning.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information, please email david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.