Cox sees Pegasus World Cup as a good fit for First Mission

Godolphin’s lightly raced First Mission, who lost Churchill Downs’s Grade 2 Clark by a nose in his last start as a 3-year-old, is on track to begin his 4-year-old season in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27, trainer Brad Cox said.

“I think his style, going a mile and an eighth, he likes to be forward — not necessarily on the lead,” Cox said Thursday morning at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. “I think Gulfstream is a place where you want to be somewhat forward. It’s not a long stretch, so I think his style should fit Gulfstream very well.

“It’s a competitive group of horses. With $3 million on the line, you’re going to have to do some running.”

The Pegasus would be only First Mission’s sixth start. He made his racing debut last Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds, finishing second and then winning a month later. A subsequent victory in Keeneland’s Lexington (G3) sent First Mission to the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico, only to have the horse scratched the morning before the middle jewel of the Triple Crown with a minor ankle problem.

He resurfaced with a victory in a Keeneland allowance race on Oct. 14 before dropping a nose decision in the Clark to fellow Pegasus invitee Trademark on Nov. 24. First Mission battled for the lead early on that day and had a length lead with an eighth-mile to go before Trademark ground out the victory.

Cox said he would expect to ship First Mission to Gulfstream the Monday or Tuesday of Pegasus Week. Luis Saez, who has been aboard the Street Sense colt for every race but his maiden victory, has the mount.

First Mission is scheduled to work five furlongs early Friday morning, his fourth work at Fair Grounds since the Clark, which is held at the Pegasus distance.

“He’s doing great. He’s been breezing here at the Fair Grounds pretty steady,” Cox said. “We’re very happy with what we’ve seen from him. He ran a big race in the Clark, just didn’t have his head down in the right spot. But he galloped out strong. Luis said he got a little lost down the lane. That was a nice horse that beat him. I think he’s continuing to learn. He’s lightly raced. I think he’ll have a great 4-year-old campaign, and this is a great spot to get it kicked off.”