A three-time stakes winner for trainer Brad Cox and a durable, four-time allowance victor were among the late additions to the invitation list for Saturday’s Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park.
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Shared Sense, a Godolphin homebred 5-year-old by Street Sense, won the Indiana Derby (G3) and Oklahoma Derby (G3) for Cox in 2020. His only triumph since was in last summer’s Tri-State Overnight Stakes at Ellis Park. It was his second start back from a seven-month break. Cox said Tuesday that Shared Sense will not race in the Pegasus but, instead, in an allowance race Friday at Oaklawn.
Empty Tomb, a 24-time starter, is a 6-year-old entire by Speightstown who is trained by Robert Falcone Jr. In addition to his allowance scores, he has a second-place stakes finish from his most recent start, the Dec. 19 Queens County at Aqueduct.
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Three also-eligible candidates also were in the last round of invitations issued Sunday and posted Monday on the Gulfstream Park website. They included Coastal Defense, seventh last out in the 2021 Santa Anita Handicap (G1); Speaker’s Corner, second in the Discovery Stakes two months ago at Aqueduct; and War Stopper, fifth June in the Salvator Mile (G3) at Monmouth Park.
| Pegasus World Cup | Age, sex | Trainer | Jan. 23 | Jan. 16 | Jan. 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chess Chief | 6 h | Dallas Stewart | X | X | AE |
| Commandeer | 4 g | Jimmy Toner | X | AE | |
| Empty Tomb | 6 h | Robert Falcone Jr. | X | ||
| Endorsed | 6 h | Mike Maker | X | AE | AE |
| Fearless | 6 g | Todd Pletcher | X | X | AE |
| Knicks Go | 6 h | Brad Cox | X | X | X |
| Law Professor | 4 g | Michael McCarthy | X | X | |
| Life Is Good | 4 c | Brad Cox | X | X | X |
| Shared Sense | 5 r | Brad Cox | X | ||
| Sir Winston | 6 h | Mark Casse | X | X | X |
| Stilleto Boy | 4 g | Ed Moger Jr. | X | X | AE |
| Title Ready | 7 h | Dallas Stewart | X | X | AE |
| Coastal Defense | 6 h | Dale Romans | AE | ||
| Speaker's Corner | 4 c | Bill Mott | AE | ||
| War Stopper | 5 h | Todd Pletcher | AE | ||
| Ginobili | 5 g | Richard Baltas | X | X | |
| Happy Saver | 5 h | Todd Pletcher | X | X | |
| Olympiad | 4 c | Bill Mott | X | ||
| Super Stock | 4 c | Steve Asmussen | X | X | |
| American Theorem | 5 r | George Papaprodromou | AE | ||
| Forewarned | 7 h | Uriah St. Lewis | AE | ||
| Happy American | 4 c | Neil Pessin | AE | ||
| Dr Post | 5 h | Todd Pletcher | X | ||
| Eight Rings | 5 h | Bob Baffert | X | ||
| Express Train | 5 h | John Shirreffs | X | ||
| Flightline | 4 c | John Sadler | X | ||
| Mandaloun | 4 c | Brad Cox | X | ||
| Midnight Bourbon | 4 c | Steve Asmussen | X | ||
| Concert Tour | 4 c | Brad Cox | AE | ||
| Officiating | 4 c | Saffie Joseph Jr. | AE | ||
| X - Invited | |||||
| AE - Also eligible | |||||
| c - Colt g - Gelding | |||||
| h - Horse r - Ridgling |
The 2021 winner Knicks Go, who is expected to be named Horse of the Year next month, makes the last start of his career in the Pegasus. Racing for Cox, he is likely to be the favorite. Life Is Good, making his 4-year-old debut for trainer Todd Pletcher, figures to be the second choice.
The Pegasus draw is scheduled for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. EST at Gulfstream Park. It will be streamed live on the race’s website and its Facebook page.
