Knicks Go, Life Is Good, Flightline Top G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitations

Defending champion and projected 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Life Is Good, and undefeated Malibu (G1) winner Flightline highlight a list of 19 horses invited to compete in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Saturday, Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park.

A total of seven graded-stakes worth $5.2 million in purses will be offered on Pegasus Day, led by the return of the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) and the debut of the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3).

All three races are for 4-year-olds and up. The Pegasus World Cup and Pegasus Turf are both contested at 1 1/8 miles while the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf, previously run as the Marshua’s River, will be run at 1 1/16 miles.

Korea Racing Authority’s Knicks Go ended 2021 on a four-race win streak, all in graded-stakes, including the Whitney (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Winner of the 2020 Dirt Mile, he began last year with an emphatic 2 ¾-length triumph in the Pegasus World Cup and is seeking to become its first repeat champion.

Also among invitees to the Pegasus World Cup from the barn of trainer Brad Cox are Concert Tour and Mandaloun. Gary and Mary West homebred Concert Tour won the San Vicente (G2) and Rebel (G2) in 2021 but has not raced since finishing ninth in the Preakness (G1), all for previous trainer Bob Baffert. Juddmonte homebred Mandaloun ran second to Medina Spirit in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and is also coming off a layoff following his triumph in the Haskell (G1).

WinStar Farm’s and CHC Inc.’s and Life Is Good was dominant in a front-running 5 ¾-length victory in the Dirt Mile Nov. 6 at Del Mar, his fifth win from six career starts and first Grade 1 after triumphs in the Kelso (G2), San Felipe (G2) and Sham (G3) last year. He has been breezing regularly since mid-December in South Florida for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“Life Is Good we’ve been pointing for the Pegasus since the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He got a short freshening at WinStar and he’s come in with that as our goal,” Pletcher said. “Everything has gone according to plan. He’s never run at Gulfstream, but he’s the kind of horse where his style should suit Gulfstream well.”