Empty Tomb will scratch from Saturday's Jazil, head to the Pegasus

Trainer Robert Falcone Jr. said Friday he plans to scratch Empty Tomb from Saturday’s Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct and reroute the 5-year-old horse by Speightstown to next weekend’s Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.

Empty Tomb was claimed by Falcone and owner John Grossi Racing Corp. for $80,000 from trainer Mike Maker last summer at Saratoga. In his two most recent starts for his new connections, Empty Tomb won an optional claimer when running for an $80,000 tag at Aqueduct in November and was second in last month’s Queens County Stakes going the Pegasus distance of 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct.

In explaining his reasoning for the change in plans, Falcone noted outside of the two Pegasus favorites Knicks Go and Life Is Good, the field is not coming up “as tough as you would assume.” He added Empty Tomb was invited to compete in the Pegasus this week by Gulfstream Park officials after the release of its second invitation list last Sunday.

“The horse has been training good and he’s going to get another work (Saturday) morning,” Falcone said. “As long as everything goes well, he’ll get on a van later and we’ll take a shot down there.”

In his optional-claiming win at Aqueduct, Empty Tomb took the field gate to wire. He also dueled on the lead throughout the Queens County before being overtaken late by 42-1 long shot Forewarned, who is entered in the Jazil.

In the Pegasus, such front-running tactics could prove detrimental given the abundance of early speed possessed by both Life Is Good and Knicks Go. But Falcone noted Empty Tomb previously has also had success sitting off the pace.

“In his last two races he’s been on the lead, but he’s sat off the pace before and made up ground late,” Falcone said. “It seems like he can do either or.”

Falcone said he has not yet secured a jockey for Empty Tomb in the Pegasus.

“We got a couple right now we’re considering, but there’s still a few horses that are iffy, so we’ll see where that goes and we should have someone confirmed this weekend,” Pessing said.

Earlier on Friday, one potential Pegasus candidate was removed from consideration. Trainer Neil Pessin told Horse Racing Nation’s Matt Stahl that Happy American, who was on the also-eligible list for the Pegasus, will bypass the race and likely await the Mineshaft (G3) on Feb. 19 at Fair Grounds.

A third and final list of invitees for the Pegasus will be announced on Sunday. Entries will be taken and the race drawn on Tuesday.