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2024 Pegasus World Cup Contender: Il Miracolo

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 will publish profiles of all the contenders. 

IL MIRACOLO

His outstanding young sire, Gun Runner, was the 2017 Horse of the Year and the 2018 Pegasus winner. His damsire, Tapit, is a world-class stud. Despite $518,000 in earnings, with that pedigree, Il Miracolo has been a serious underachiever.

He needed four starts to break his maiden and is 1-for-9 in graded stakes, winning only the Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx. Trainer Antonio Sano admitted he went there because the field wasn’t as tough as what he would have faced in the Travers.

After the Smarty Jones, Il Miracolo was aimed for the Pennsylvania Derby. Sano was upbeat, saying, “He is a confident horse. He’s getting better and better.” Il Miracolo was a distant third, 6½ lengths behind, making $81,000 for his owner but nothing for his bettors.

Il Miracolo flopped in the Remsen (sixth) as a 2-year-old and in the Holy Bull (fifth), Fountain of Youth (sixth), Florida Derby (sixth) and Belmont Stakes (seventh) last year. He was a non-threatening third (beaten 5½ lengths) last time out in the Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs.

There’s no superstar in this edition of the Pegasus, but Il Miracolo still looks like a longshot with little chance.

2024 Pegasus World Cup Contender: Il Miracolo

Betting advice: Il Miracolo means “the miracle” in Italian, which is what it would feel like if he won the Pegasus. Throw him out.

Post position: 1o

Odds: 20/1

Jockey: Javier Castellano

Trainer: Antonio Sano

Owner: Alexandres, LLC

Age: 4

Career record: 16-3-5-2

Career earnings: $518,375

Most recent race: Clark Stakes (G2), third

Top Equibase speed figure: 104

Pedigree: Gun Runner-Tapit’s World, by Tapit

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Frontrunner/stalker

Notes: Sano, 60, the winningest trainer in Venezuelan history, emigrated after being kidnapped in 2009. He was held for 36 days before paying a ransom of $70,000 … Earned his first U.S. win at Gulfstream Park in April 2010. He’s also the all-time leading Venezuelan trainer in the U.S. … Best horse was Gunnevera, the 2017 Fountain of Youth winner who earned more than $5.5 million.

2024 Pegasus World Cup Odds and Post Positions

PP Horse Odds Trainer Jockey
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

 

 

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