Bravazo to bypass Pegasus World Cup with new plans

Rather than send Bravazo in the Pegasus World Cup (G1), or big-money races such as the Saudi and Dubai world cups, trainer D. Wayne Lukas and owner/breeder Calumet Farm have decided upon a more conventional race schedule.

Brady Wayne Lukas, the Hall of Famer's grandson, first indicated Monday evening that the 5-year-old son of Awesome Again will stay home and run in Oaklawn Park's series of races for older horses. The trainer himself then confirmed the news Tuesday morning.

Lukas told Robert Yates, a member of the notes team at Oaklawn, that Bravazo is a candidate for the Jan. 25 Fifth Season Stakes in Hot Springs, Ark. That precedes more lucrative local races for older horses: the Feb. 17 Razorback Handicap (G3), March 14 Essex Handicap and April 18 Oaklawn Handicap (G2).

Brady Wayne Lukas tweeted that Bravazo is doing "Better than ever," adding that, "For as hard as he tries, he deserves to be put in a better spot for a chance to win."

A return to the Grade 1 level could then come this summer, with Lukas often taking a string to Saratoga.

After a fourth in last year's Pegasus, Bravazo was sidelined for much of his 2019 season due to surgery to remove a bone chip from his knee. He ran eighth in Churchill's Clark in his first race back. Bravazo worked a bullet five furlongs on Dec. 30 in his most recent breeze at Oaklawn.

The Risen Star remains the last victory for Bravazo, who is 18: 3-4-3 in his career with more than $2 million earned.