CITY OF LIGHT TAKES PEGASUS WORLD CUP

The first of the two PEGASUS races was the Turf Cup which was taken by the magical pairing of trainer Chad Brown and Irad Ortiz Jr with BRICKS AND MORTAR who went off at the odds of 5-2. This is a horse who has suffered from many injuries and this was only his second start after a fourteen month layoff. Taking a mid pack position on the soft and heavy turf, the winner circled the field entering the stretch and pulled away easily to win by four lengths or more. The Irish filly Magic Wand finished second and Delta Prince finished third.
This was the first ever running of the event, and it was the richest turf race ever to be run in the United States. About 15,000 fans braved the cool weather at Gulfstream Park in Florida, and some of the celebrities spotted in the crowd included Evander Holyfield, and the rapper Snoop Dog. The race was worth $7 million with the winners share $2.65 million. As a footnote the over-hyped Japanese runner Aerolithe floundered on the turf and finished dead last.

Conditions had deteriorated rapidly when the Pegasus Gold Cup was run and the spoils went to Breeders Cup Dirt Mile winner CITY OF LIGHT who romped home in the rain by five lengths to pick up a cool $4 million. Going off at 9-5 odds for trainer Michael McCarthy and jockey Javier Castellano, City of Light trailed Pattern of Recognition in second place before taking the lead about four furlongs out. Accelerate looked like giving the winner a race of it turning into the stretch, but the 6-5 favorite never really looked his old self in the rough conditions and eventually faded to third. Long shot (30-1) Seeking the Soul sneaked up on the inside to finish second.
Ironically both City of Light and Accelerate will be travelling together again in a van on Sunday to Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky to take up stud duties next month. Breeders are sure to be attracted to City of Light who has won from six to nine furlongs and has plenty of speed.