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 is publishing profiles of all the contenders.
This well-traveled Upstart gelding earned the biggest win of his career when annexing the Clark Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs over Thanksgiving weekend, adding it to his previous wins in last summer’s Michael G. Shaefer S. at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Churchill’s Commonwealth Turf Stakes (which was off the turf on a sloppy main track) in 2022. He doesn’t win a lot, but he is fairly consistent in hitting the board, but unfortunately, when he fails to fire he really fails to fire. He seems to excel at a mile, though his last at this distance was impressive and he just got up in time to beat a game First Mission, who is 7-2 here, by a nose.
He has a tactical turn of foot he’ll be able to use depending on how the pace sets up, jockey Fernando De La Cruz can put him closer to a slow pace or drop a bit farther back if a speed duel materializes on the front end. If he brings his best, he will be tough at a decent price.
Betting advice: When he shows up, he really shows up and if he does he will be tough for a large share at a large price.
Post position: 5
Odds: 12/1
Jockey: Fernando De La Cruz
Trainer: Victoria Oliver
Owner: BBN Racing, LLC
Age: 5
Career record: 22-6-3-1
Career earnings: $1,055,865
Most recent race: Clark Stakes (G2), Churchill Downs, Nov. 24, won
Top Equibase speed figure: 112
Pedigree: Upstart-Creative Trick, by Creative Cause
Color: Bay
Running style: mid-pack
Notes: He is also multiple graded stakes-placed in the Lukas Classic (G2), Philip. H. Iselin Stakes (G3) and Salvatore Mile Stakes (G3)... Was a $275,000 RNA as a horse of racing age at Keeneland in November of 2022, BBN Racing retaining ownership. Also sold for $37,000 as a Keeneland November weanling in 2019 and through the same sales ring nearly a year later for $42,000… bullet worked a mile in 1:02 at his winter base of Payson Park last Thursday…
| 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.
