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.
Cheers to Rajiv Maragh, who is back in the saddle again after a nearly three-year break. The jockey returned in October and has five wins – all in claiming races – from 33 starts through Jan. 22.
On Saturday, he’ll get a leg up on Vitality – at 50-1 the longest shot in the Pegasus World Cup. A last-minute entry by Stronach Stables, part of the Stronach Group that owns Gulfstream Park – site of Pegasus World Cup Day.
While race fans may be cheering on Maragh, horseplayers will see this Canada-bred, 4-year-old gray gelding for what he can do against on the track – which hasn’t been much.
Vitality has raced mainly on all-weather tracks in Canada but was moved to dirt and won the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie, then finished fourth and second in optional claimers and sixth of eight in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) on Dec. 21.
Trained by Harold Ladouceur, Vitality has been put in a most improbable situation, with a last-place finish much more likely than a top 3 result.
Betting advice: Toss.
Post position: 8
Odds: 50-1
Jockey: Rajiv Maragh
Trainer: Harold Ladouceur
Owners: Stronach Stables, Joel Hunsburger
Career record: 12-2-2-1
Career earnings: $272,620
Last race: Harlan’s Holiday (G3), Gulfstream Park, Dec. 21, 6th
Top Equibase speed figure: 99
Pedigree: Street Boss-Belissimo, by Awesome Again
Age: 4
Color: Dark bay
Running style: Chestnut
Notes: Maragh gets a shot at his first graded stakes win since his return. So far, he’s won five of 33 starts at Gulfstream. All five wins came in claiming races ... The Prince of Wales Stakes is the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown; Vitality won by four lengths on Sept. 10.
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.
