Major Dude, Grand Sonata Among Pegasus Day Schoolers

$3M Earner Looking to Give Cox Second Pegasus Victory
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $500,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – FMQ Stables Inc.’s Grade 1-winning multimillionaire Saudi Crown got his first look at Gulfstream Park Thursday, galloping over the main track and schooling in the walking ring for Saturday’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1).

Saudi Crown worked once at Fair Grounds this year before joining trainer Brad Cox’s string at Payson Park, where he breezed twice including a five-furlong move in 1:00.xx Jan. 19. He made the trip south to Gulfstream with Cox’s other Pegasus Day contenders including Kunan and That’s Right, who schooled with him in Race 2.

“We school most of our runners,” Cox’s son and assistant, Blake, said. “He shipped yesterday and galloped a nice easy mile today. We’ll gallop again tomorrow and school again tomorrow.”

As a 3-year-old Saudi Crown won the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and was second by a nose in the Jim Dandy (G2) and Dwyer (G3). He kicked off 2024 with a victory in the Louisiana (G3) and then did all the heavy lifting up front before getting caught late and finishing third by less than a length in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1).

Saudi Crown got some time after running 12th in the Dubai World Cup (G1), returning with a victory in the R.A. Cowboy Jones at Ellis Park. Last in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), he bounced back with a two-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Tenacious Dec. 21 at Fair Grounds.

“We regrouped after the Breeders’ Cup and he came back with a huge effort in New Orleans,” Cox said. “He had a work down there and then shipped to Payson, and he’s been doing very well.”

Saudi Crown will break from Post 2 of 12 under jockey Florent Geroux in the Pegasus World Cup, where they are third choice on the morning line at 9-2. He will be the fifth starter for Brad Cox following 2020 Horse of the Year Knicks Go, who won in 2021 and was second in 2022; Cyberknife, sixth in 2023; and First Mission, ninth last winter.

“We’ve been fortunate to win it with Knicks Go, and be second in it the next year,” Blake Cox said. “We’d like to add another win.”

Kunan, a first-time starter by Omaha Beach, is entered in a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds scheduled for one mile on the grass that kicks off Saturday’s program. Grade 3 winner That’s Right will be making his 27th start and second for Cox in the $165,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. Multiple graded-stakes winning filly Emery, who schooled in Race 3, will run in the $215,000 Inside Information (G2).

Other schoolers Thursday included Major Dude, Grand Sonata and Spirit of St Louis for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) presented by Qatar Racing; and Sacred Wish, Minoushka and Watchtower for the $500,000 TAA Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2) presented by SirDavis American Whiskey.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $500,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have an estimated pool of $500,000 when racing resumes Friday at Gulfstream Park.

Friday’s sequence opens in Race 5, a one-mile starter allowance for fillies and mares 4 and up scheduled for the grass. The wide-open field of 11 is led by narrow 9-2 program favorite Escape Room, in the top three in each of her last four starts, two of them wins. Highway Harmony exits a front-running win at the course and distance Dec. 19.

A maiden special weight for 4-year-olds and up, also scheduled for a mile on turf, comes in Race 7. Shadwell homebred Musta’ed will be making her second start after running fourth Dec. 29 in an off-the-turf maiden event going 1 1/16 miles. Tucson is entered to stretch out off a fourth in a 6 ½-furlong maiden sprint on dirt for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Race 9 is an optional claiming allowance scheduled for one mile on the turf that drew eight older fillies and mares. Risk Threshold has been third or better in five of six starts including a last-out third in the six-furlong Autumn Days on the Aqueduct turf Nov. 8. New Ginya, winner of the 2023 Yaddo Handicap at Saratoga, is entered to make her third start off a 13-month layoff. Life’s an Audible won the Sweetest Chant (G3) last winter at Gulfstream.

The Race 10 finale is the $70,000 Mucho Gusto Starter Handicap, named for the 2020 winner of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and contested at 1 1/8 miles on the all-weather Tapeta. Tiz Romantic is 12-for-16 in the money on Gulfstream’s synthetic with four wins. Freedom Road is 11-for-26 lifetime and had an eight-race win streak snapped in mid-November, his most recent start. Speedy Hans races first off a $16,000 claim for trainer Mike Maker.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 is scheduled for Sunday. On mandatory days, the entire jackpot pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors holding tickets with the most winners.

Who’s Hot: Jockey Dylan Davis and Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse teamed up for a pair of winners Thursday, Street Earnings ($6.20) in Race 7 and Creed’s Gold ($12) in Race 9.