2024 Pegasus World Cup Contender Profile: Crupi

The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is on 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.

CRUPI

In horse racing, as in many walks of life, there are late bloomers, and then there are even later bloomers. Hall of Famer John Henry didn’t start turning heads until he was 5. Seabiscuit lost his first 17 races. There was even a horse named Late Bloomer, who lived up to her name by winning just three of her first eight starts at age 2 and 3, then earning the Eclipse as champion older mare at age 4 in 1978.

Crupi — named by his owners in honor of the late horseman J. J. Crupi, who passed away in 2019 — may never reach those heights. But his progress speaks to the patience shown by his connections; owners St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola) and Repole Stable (Mike Repole), and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

A $275,000 yearling purchase, Crupi’s career began inauspiciously enough at Saratoga, where he was the twice-beaten favorite in a pair of maiden races. With gate issues that often left him a dozen lengths beyond at the break, he was still a maiden the next year when entered in the Risen Star (G2) and the Wood Memorial (G2), in which he finished seventh and ninth, albeit with excuses.

After a three-month break, the colt finally reached the winner’s circle at Monmouth Park in July. He defeated older horses in his next start at Saratoga, was fifth in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) after spotting the field 16 ½ lengths, and put together back-to-back listed stakes wins in the Discovery and Queens County at Aqueduct.

“I think we’re kind of coming in with a different angle this year. We’re kind of under the radar a bit,” Pletcher said. “When we brought Life Is Good in, we thought we had a good chance, and he delivered a good performance. A little different this year, we’re hoping everybody makes a move forward.”

2024 Pegasus World Cup Contender: Crupi

Betting advice: Can this Curlin colt take another huge step forward? We wouldn’t bet our bankroll on him to win, but definitely include him in exotic wagers.

Post Position: 11

Odds: 20/11

Jockey: Frankie Dettori

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owners: St. Elias Stable, Repole Stable

Career record: 12 4-2-3

Career earnings: $372,750

Most recent race: Queens County, Aqueduct, Dec. 31, won

Top Equibase speed figure: 103

Pedigree: Curlin-Dontforgetaboutme, by Malibu Moon

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Versatile

Notes: With immaturity and gate issues behind him, Crupi was entered, giving Pletcher, who won the 2022 Pegasus with Life Is Good, three in the field (Dynamic One and Grand Aspen are the others) … Curlin colt breezed a bullet half-mile in 48.29 on Jan. 20 at Palm Beach Downs … Co-owner Mike Repole, speaking of the colt’s predilection for breaking slowly early on in his career, said “Crupi breaks as fast from the gate as Jimmy Crupi would have” … Repole credits Crupi with selecting future champion Uncle Mo ($275,000) out of the 2009 September yearling sale at Keeneland.