Gulfstream scratches: Vitality is out of Pegasus World Cup

Vitality, the longest shot on the morning line at 50-1, has been scratched from the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup on Saturday at Gulfstream.

The scratch of Vitality was published to Equibase on Saturday morning. During an examination veterinarians found "a little pulse in his foot", according to a report on X from Mike Welsch of Daily Racing Form. The Harold Ladouceur trainee won the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie last year against Canada-breds. His best finish in three starts since then was a half-length second in a second-level allowance on the Churchill Downs dirt in November.

As of 12:50 p.m. EDT, Vitality is the only scratch listed from the Pegasus World Cup on Equibase, and he is listed as a stakes scratch and not a veterinary scratch. There was no also-eligible list, so the Pegasus will go with a field of 11.

Rail-drawn Siege of Boston and Paros, second on the also-eligible list, were scratched from the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1). Fort Washington, trained by Shug McGaughey, draws into the field with the scratch of Siege of Boston. Fort Washington was most recently second in the Fort Lauderdale (G2), the local prep for the Pegasus World Cup Turf, a neck behind Major Dude. Junior Alvarado will ride Fort Washington instead of Jose Ortiz, who remains on Battle of Normandy.

As expected, Fluffy Socks has been scratched from the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G2) after reportedly being retired with a leg injury. Ocean Club and See You Around are also out of the race. That opens up room for both In Our Time and De Regreso to get into the race off of the also-eligible list. In Our Time and De Regreso were most recently second and third in the Tropical Park Oaks, behind the scratched See You Around. Emisael Jaramillo will ride De Regreso instead of John Velazquez, who will ride Sacred Wish.