Admin January 24, 2024
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 is publishing profiles of all the contenders.
NATIONAL TREASURE
Despite only a maiden score and last year’s Preakness (G1) on his resume, this Bob Baffert-trained son of Quality Road is the early favorite for this event.
In his defense, he ran an amazing second by a nose to Horse of the Year finalist and fan favorite Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) last out and has had a nice pause over the winter in preparation for the Pegasus World Cup and a possible trip for the Saudi Cup (G1) next month.
It’s been a bit of a roller coaster week for Baffert, who dropped his appeal of Medina Spirit’s disqualification from the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) with a deadline looming for horses in his care to be transferred to other trainers to make this year’s Derby gate. A win here would undoubtedly be a welcome result. Top jockey Flavien Prat returns and the pair drew a good post for the 9 furlongs at Gulfstream Park.
2024 Pegasus World Cup Contender: National Treasure
Betting advice: Class and talent, hard to look past this one on top.
Post position: 7
Odds: 9-5
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owners: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Sol Kumin, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan
Age: 4
Career record: 10-2-2-2
Career earnings: $1,603,000
Most recent race: Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), Santa Anita, Nov. 4, second
Top Equibase speed figure: 115
Pedigree: Quality Road-Treasure, by Medaglia d’Oro
Color: Bay
Running style: Frontrunner
Notes: In addition to his Preakness win and BC Mile second, he was also second in the American Pharoah (G1) as a juvenile and third in the Sham (G3) as a 3-year-old, but didn’t make the gate for the Derby absent enough points for then-trainer Tim Yakteen, subbing for Baffert due to his Churchill Downs ban … $500,000 Saratoga Select yearling has now more than tripled his purchase price … Worked a nice half-mile in:46.80 on Saturday at Santa Anita, third-best out of the 116 on the day who went the distance.
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.
