Bravazo's on target for another Pegasus World Cup try

Bravazo, the most accomplished member of trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ stable, continues to point for the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup set for Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.

Lukas, who spoke to Oaklawn Park publicity in the wake of a The Stronach Group announcement about changes to the Pegasus' format, said Bravazo will train up to the race off an eighth-place finish in the Clark Stakes (G1) on Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs.

The Clark marked the Calumet homebred's first starts since he finished fourth in the 2019 Pegasus. After that, he was sidelined in March to have a bone chip removed from his knee.

“It’s very difficult to get a horse that’s been off that long to go a mile and an eighth in world-class company,” Lukas said of the Clark. “I thought I had him pretty tight. When the running started, he was tired.”

Lukas said he’s intrigued how the 2020 Pegasus will play out following Sunday’s news: that the Pegasus will run with a purse reduced $6 million, but not carry the massive entry fee of years past. The Stronach Group will also eliminate race day medication for the 1 1/8-mile dirt race and 1 3/16-mile companion turf race.

“I’m more interested to see what the Lasix will do,” Lukas said, referring to the anti-bleeder medication. “It doesn’t affect me at all. All those stakes in a year are going to be probably no-Lasix.”

Bravazo, who is based at Oaklawn, was one of the country’s leading 3-year-olds in 2018. After emerging from an entry-level allowance race in Hot Springs, Bravazo won the Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds, then competed in all three legs of the Triple Crown series. He finished second in the Preakness Stakes, second in the Haskell Invitational (G1) and third in the Travers (G1).

Bravazo went into the 2019 Pegasus off a third as well in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

A son of Awesome Again, Bravazo has 3-4-3 record from 18 lifetime starts and earnings of $2,009,528.