Juddmonte’s homebred Disco Time puts his perfect 5-0 record on the line in Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), his first career stab at Grade 1 company.
The Brad Cox trainee was briefly on the Triple Crown trail a year ago, winning the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at the Fair Grounds before a “minor injury” knocked him out of the Risen Star Stakes (G2) last February and also seven more months of 2025.
The Not This Time colt has had two starts since, veering off the beaten path to win the St. Louis Derby at Fairmount Park in September and then the Dwyer Stakes by a widening and geared down 9 ¾ lengths at Aqueduct 2 ½ months ago.
He only defeated four rivals that day, and none have records of significant note, but to be fair, he defeated them as he should have in that case and earned the favorite’s role in Saturday's race. He also has a series of steady and strong works at Payson Park in Florida, indicating fitness, so he should be ready for his first significant graded stakes challenge.
He looks good and carries strong connections into this race, but he’s stepping up against a field of proven graded stakes performers and will need his best to justify the role of favorite.
Stepping into a Grade 1 company, there’s still a lot to prove. The buzz is justified after his last win. Is he vulnerable at a short price? Yes, but if he goes off anywhere near his morning-line odds, he will offer significant value in the exotics bets, so key him on top.
Notes: Disco Time’s dam, Disco Chick, raced 40 times up and down the eastern seaboard and picked up ten wins (with 20 placings), and though once graded stakes-placed, she was a multiple listed stakes winner and earned more than $700,000 … After foaling a Yaupon filly last year, she was bred to Justify for a 2026 foal due soon… Juddmonte won the first Pegasus World Cup in 2017 with homebred Arrogate when the purse was a record $12 million … Brad Cox saddled eventual Horse of the Year Knicks Go to win in 2021 … jockey Flavien Prat was aboard National Treasure for the win in 2024.
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