Pegasus World Cup 2023: Updates on possible field

Now that the entries are in for Saturday’s Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday, the picture becomes a little clearer for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) on Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Skippylongstocking, O’Connor and Simplification are three entries who will use the Harlan’s Holiday as a prep for the first Grade 1 race of 2023.

Related – Head to Head: Handicapping the Harlan's Holiday Stakes

For Horse Racing Nation’s earlier report on the potential Pegasus field, Antonio Sano said he would decide about aiming Simplification for the race after the Harlan’s Holiday. Simplification is 0-for-6 since his victory at Gulfstream in the Fountain of Youth (G2).

Saffie Joseph Jr., trainer of Skippylongstocking and O’Connor, said he would decide whether they would be pointed to the Pegasus after the Harlan’s Holiday. Skippylongstocking is 2-for-8 this year, with wins in a Gulfstream allowance optional claiming in March and the West Virginia Derby (G3) in August. His last start was a ninth-place finish in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

O’Connor is a wild card in the Harlan’s Holiday. The soon-to-be 6-year-old raced in Chile through April, winning half of his 18 starts there, and his first U.S. start was an impressive six-length win in a Gulfstream allowance optional claiming race in October.

Joseph also is pointing White Abarrio to the Pegasus. He’s 4-for-4 at Gulfstream overall and 2-for-2 there this year, winning the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) on the road to the Kentucky Derby. But he has gone 0-for-5 since.

Brooklyn Strong and Art Collector were hopefuls for the Harlan’s Holiday but were not entered.

Brooklyn Strong owner Mark Schwartz told HRN Wednesday that the soon-to-be 5-year-old son of Wicked Strong will enter an allowance race at Gulfstream “We hope to run well there and get consideration” for the Pegasus, he said in an email.

Schwartz said Brooklyn Strong’s trainer, Victor Barboza, “wants the option of Lasix, which the Harlan prohibits. We can run without but prefer to go this way for his next race.”

Brooklyn Strong is 0-for-6 this year, with his best showing a third-place finish in the Greenwood Cup (G3) at Parx in September.

Schwartz said Barboza "resurrected" Brooklyn Strong's career and brought him "back to a very healthy horse now after several months of rehab care including weight gain and training to a stake contender after a series of setbacks back north." The most serious setback, he said, was a bad case of ulcers, which has been cured.

Another question mark is Slow Down Andy. Trainer Doug O’Neill told HRN for the earlier report that a decision would depend on how he did in the Malibu (G1), but then the Nyqust colt wasn’t entered there. O’Neill said Wednesday that he’s “not sure yet” what his next move will be.

The plan also is unclear for Art Collector, who was being considered for the Harlan’s Holiday but was not entered. Owner Bruce Lunsford said earlier that the soon-to-be 6-year-old, last seen finishing fifth in the Lukas Classic (G2), “has a little issue with his foot.”

That apparently ruled him out of the Harlan’s Holiday, but the Pegasus might remain a possibility.

“If he’s fit, I think Bill (Mott) would have no problem training him up a month out,” Lunsford said earlier.

Lunsford also said earlier that Art Collector might have his retirement postponed by a big effort next month in the Pegasus.

“If he dazzles us, he’s going to run,” Lunsford said. “There’s still a lot of horse racing before (breeding season) in April.”

Pappacap also might still be on target for the Pegasus, as he’s entered in the Mr. Prospector (G3) Saturday at Gulfstream. He’s been off since finishing fourth in the Amsterdam (G2) in July, and trainer Mark Casse told HRN Wednesday that if he does well Saturday, he would be considered for  the Pegasus.

Pappacap’s last three starts were at a mile or less, and the Mr. Prospector is seven furlongs. His prior five starts were longer than a mile. The Pegasus is 1 1/8 miles.

Other probables for the Pegasus include Cyberknife, Proxy and Super Corinto, and Bob Baffert said Defunded is possible.

But Todd Pletcher said he does “not yet” have any of his horses pointed to the race.