Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Stellar Wind has eye on prize
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – All systems are still go for Stellar Wind to make the final start of her career in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup here Jan. 27.
Stellar Wind worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Palm Meadows on Sunday in company with stablemate Shagaf. It was her fifth work since joining trainer Chad Brown’s barn at Palm Meadows after being purchased by Coolmore as a broodmare prospect at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
“She worked a strong fiveeighths, galloped out threequarters, and came out in good shape,” Brown said earlier this week. “Everything is still on target to run her in Pegasus.”
Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, is a five-time Grade 1 winner with earnings of more than $2.2 million. She won three of her four starts in 2017, all Grade 1 stakes, for trainer John Sadler. Stellar Wind concluded the campaign by finishing last in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She is scheduled to be bred to American Pharoah this spring.
Brown said he still has not firmed up a rider for Stellar Wind in the Pegasus World Cup. Victor Espinoza has been Stellar Wind’s regular jockey since the start of her 3-year-old campaign.
Brown also said that Mask came out of his scintillating 6 1/4-length triumph in Saturday’s one-mile Mucho Macho Man in good order. He added that Mask will stretch out around two turns in his next start, which will probably come in the Grade 2 Risen Star on Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds or the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here March 3.
“I thought his performance was excellent – I was very pleased – and he’s ready for the next step, the next challenge,” Brown said.
Shagaf is progressing nicely toward his return following his work in company with Stellar Wind on Sunday, Brown said. Shagaf began his career with three consecutive wins, including the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct in 2016. He was pulled up in the stretch and did not finish in the Kentucky Derby and has not started since finishing fifth against allowance horses last April 23 at Aqueduct.
“He’s still on the comeback trail and has a little ways to go,” Brown said. “He had nothing serious wrong, just some little physical issues, but he seems to have himself in good health now.”
◗ Two other riding commitments for the Pegasus World Cup were fulfilled this week. Jockey Javier Castellano made the decision to ride West Coast rather than Sharp Azteca. Castellano guided West Coast to his thirdplace finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and also was aboard Sharp Azteca for his victory in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile.
The connections of Sharp Azteca wasted little time finding a suitable replacement for Castellano, giving the call to Irad Ortiz Jr., according to his agent, Steve Rushing.
Leavem in Malibu euthanized
Leavem in Malibu, who was under consideration for the $16 million Pegasus World Cup, had to be euthanized following a Monday workout at the Palm Meadows training center after suffering a catastrophic injury to a hind ankle.
Leavem in Malibu was galloping out following a five-furlong breeze in 1:00.40 when he broke down on the backstretch, said trainer Mark Casse. Efforts to save the 5-year-old horse were futile.
“I’m still in shock about it,” Casse said Wednesday. “It’s extremely sad and unfortunate.”
Casse had intended to fill one of the 12 slots in the Pegasus with Leavem in Malibu. The second running of the Pegasus is set for Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park, with entries due Jan. 24.
Leavem in Malibu, an Ontario-bred, was owned by Gary Barber and Conrad Farms. He won his last two starts, ending with the Grade 3 Valedictory last month at Woodbine, bringing his career record to four wins from 12 starts and earnings of $326,412.
As of Wednesday, 10 are confirmed for the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus: Gun Runner, Collected, West Coast, Stellar Wind, Seeking the Soul, Sharp Azteca, Gunnevera, Toast of New York, War Story, and Giant Expectations. Gulfstream officials have said 12 will run.
Heart to Heart tries again
Heart to Heart will attempt to make amends for the only blemish on his local record when he tops Saturday’s Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale. Heart to Heart has won four of his five starts over the Gulfstream Park turf course, with his lone setback a fourth-place finish in the 2017 Fort Lauderdale. Heart to Heart will be making his first start since a 10th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Among the opposition to Heart to Heart is All Included, winner of the Grade 3 Appleton here last spring; Shakhimat, who upset the Grade 3 Tropical Turf in his local bow a month ago; the speedy graded stakes winner Shining Copper; One Go All Go; and Summer Causeway.
Also carded for Saturday is the Grade 3 Marshua’s River, but the Grade 3 Skip Away has been canceled due to lack of entries and will not be brought back, according to the racing office.
The Skip Away, to be run at 1 1/8 miles, attracted just 11 nominations, among them Fear the Cowboy and Giuseppe the Great, both considered candidates for the Pegasus World Cup two weeks later. Also on that short list of nominees was Leavem in Malibu.