The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is Saturday (Jan. 27) at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/8-mile race is for 4-year-olds and up. usracing.com publishes profiles of all the contenders.
When trainer Todd Pletcher first got the 4-year-old Grand Aspen in his barn last spring, he wasn't sure what to expect.
"I was optimistic," said Pletcher of Grand Aspen, unplaced in two starts as a 3-year-old. "We started him off on the turf because he'd run longer, and then we moved him back to dirt because he'd been training so well."
After breaking his maiden on the turf - winning by 4 3/4 lengths on Aug. 1 at Ellis Park - the Dialed In colt was a game second in a one-mile allowance on the grass at Kentucky Downs. In his first start on the main track for Pletcher, Grand Aspen made a late bid to finish third in a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Keeneland. He was next sent off as the favorite in a 1 1/8-mile allowance on Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs, in which came from just off the pace to pull clear and win by 3 1/2 lengths.
Grand Aspen's stakes debut came in the Harlan's Holiday (G3) on Dec. 30 at Gulfstream Park, narrowly outfinished by the veteran O'Connor, beaten favorite in last year's edition.
"His effort in the Harlan's Holiday is what earned him a spot in the Pegasus," said Pletcher of Grand Aspen, who earned a 113 Equibase Speed Figure in the 1 1/18-mile racer. "He's been a pleasant surprise."
Pletcher said he plans to saddle both Grand Aspen and Dynamic One, and possibly Crupi, in the Pegasus World Cup, a race he won in 2022 with Life is Good.
Betting advice: Ignore him at your own risk.
Post position: 9
Odds: 8/1
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: PRO Thoroughbred Enterprises
Career record: 8 2-3-1
Career earnings: $201,660
Most recent race: Harlan's Holiday (G3), Gulfstream, Dec. 30, second
Top Equibase speed figure: 113
Pedigree: Dialed In-Lady Aspen by Grand Reward
Color: Dark Bay
Running style: Stalker
Notes: Grand Aspen concluded his training for the Pegasus on Saturday (Jan. 20) at Palm Beach Downs, breezing a half-mile in 49.13, 12th fastest among 43 at the distance ... He will be among the top three finishers in the Harlan's Holiday, along with winner O’Connor and third-place Ny Traffic, to compete in the Pegasus ... Pletcher briefly trained Grand Aspen's dam, Lady Aspen, in 2014. "There isn't much similarity between them, other than the obvious," he said. "She was a chestnut, he's a dark bay."
| 1 | Nimitz Class | 20-1 | George Weaver | Edgard J. Zayas |
| 2 | O'Connor | 8-1 | Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. | Paco Lopez |
| 3 | Dynamic One | 15-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | Irad Ortiz, Jr. |
| 4 | Hoist The Gold | 12-1 | Dallas Stewart | John R. Velazquez |
| 5 | Trademark | 12-1 | Victoria H. Oliver | Fernando De La Cruz |
| 6 | Senor Buscador | 6-1 | Todd W. Fincher | Junior Alvarado |
| 7 | National Treasure | 9-5 | Bob Baffert | Flavien Prat |
| 8 | First Mission | 7-2 | Brad H. Cox | Luis Saez |
| 9 | Grand Aspen | 8-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | Jose L. Ortiz |
| 10 | Il Miracolo | 20-1 | Antonio Sano | Javier Castellano |
| 11 | Crupi | 20-1 | Todd A. Pletcher | Lanfranco Dettori |
| 12 | Skippylongstocking | 8-1 | Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 13 | Castle Chaos | AE | Robert N. Falcone, Jr. | Tyler Gaffalione |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
