The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is Saturday, Jan. 25, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The race is for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles. usracing.com is publishing profiles of the horses entered.
Newgrange is starting his 6-year-old campaign with a new trainer (Jose D’Angelo), a new jockey (Emisael Jaramillo), a new home (South Florida), and a chance for the biggest victory of his career.
D’Angelo took over as trainer recently after the horse was moved to Florida from Phil D’Amato’s barn in Southern California.
Under D’Amato, Newgrange won four of 11 starts, including the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) in 2023 and 2024, and most recently ran sixth in the San Anita Handicap (G1) last March and fifth in the San Diego Handicap (G2) in July.
Newgrange began his career with trainer Bob Baffert, winning three in a row and then running sixth in the 2022 Rebel Stakes (G2). D’Amato took over for the possible Kentucky Derby contender as Baffert was under suspension by Churchill Downs and banned from running horses at the track.
Newgrange has been with D’Angelo for a month and has worked just twice after “getting a little sick” and missing some training, according to the trainer.
This will be his first race in six months after a cross-country trip in all new surroundings. None of this seems to bode well in a Pegasus World Cup field that includes seven Grade 1 winners.
Newgrange’s works were 4 furlongs in 47.00 seconds on Jan. 8 and 5 furlongs in 1:01 on Jan. 17, both at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Betting advice: Toss.
Post position: 3
Odds: 20-1
Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo
Trainer: Jose D’Angelo
Owners: David Bernsen, Little Red Feather Racing, Rockingham Ranch
Age: 6
Career record: 15-7-0-4
Career earnings: $1,014,134
Last race: San Diego Handicap (G2), Del Mar, July 27, 5th
Top Equibase speed figure: 108
Pedigree: Violence-Bella Chianti, by Empire Maker
Color: Bay
Running style: Frontrunner
Notes: Newgrange was elevated to the main field after Skinner dropped out to run in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at the Fair Grounds on Jan. 18 (he was third) ... Under Baffert, Newgrange won the Sham Stakes (G3) and the Southwest Stakes (G3) prior to his off-the-board finish in the Rebel ... D’Angelo saddled his first Grade 1 winner in 2024 – Howard Wolowitz in the Aristocrat Franklin-Simon Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 7.
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