Pegasus 2023: Geroux expects big race from mature Cyberknife
Florent Geroux, who has ridden Cyberknife in 10 of his 12 races, said the Brad Cox-trained 4-year-old is stronger and more mature than he was during his Triple Crown campaign as he prepares for next Saturday's Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park.
Geroux was aboard Cyberknife as the son of Gun Runner completed his preparations for the 1 1/8 mile race Saturday, working five-eighths of a mile in 1:01.0 in company with Roman Centurion at Fair Grounds.
The clocking was third-fastest of 41 half-mile works at the track with the 5-year-old stakes-placed Roman Centurion clocked at 1:01.20.
“It was a good work,” Geroux said. “He’s always been a good work horse. So for him it was just a maintenance work and keeping him busy and fit. He’s had plenty of time to get ready, and now we’re a week from the race.”
Owned by Gold Square stable, Cyberknife comes into the Pegasus off a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile where he had held a narrow lead the last half of the race but couldn’t quite hold off Cody’s Wish. That defeat by a head cost Cyberknife a third Grade 1 victory of the year after taking Oaklawn’s Arkansas Derby and Monmouth Park’s Haskell.
Geroux concurs with Cox that Cyberknife is working better than ever for his last race before going to stud at Spendthrift Farm.
“The horse is definitely maturing now,” Geroux said. “He’s stronger physically. I think he put on some weight. He’s developing very nicely and made another step forward over the winter, physically and mentally. So we’re hoping he’s better than he was last year.”
Cyberknife certainly has come a long way from when he finished first in his debut on Sept. 25, 2021, at Churchill Downs but ran greenly and was disqualified to second for interference. Exactly a year ago off a maiden victory on his third attempt, he was drubbed in the Fair Grounds’ Lecomte (G3) but regrouped to win an allowance race and then the Arkansas Derby. His only race worse than third since needs no apology. It was the cavalry charge known as the Kentucky Derby, where he was 18th.
“He would zig-zag, lose a little bit of focus,” Geroux said of Cyberknife last spring. “He’s been better since. He was perfect in the Breeders’ Cup and just got beat by a very nice horse. But it looks like he’s doing much better now. Hopefully, I’m not speaking too soon.
“It was a tough beat (in the Breeders’ Cup). We wanted to finish up the year strong, and we thought it was a good spot. We had a great trip, just couldn’t hold off the winner who is a terrific miler. I think the mile-and-an-eighth is more to his liking.”