Trainer Chad Brown will saddle Patternrecognition in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and Bricks and Mortar in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).
On Thursday night at Gulfstream Park, Chad Brown could be named the country’s outstanding trainer for the third consecutive year at the 48th annual Eclipse Awards. Less than 48 hours later, the 40-year-old will saddle Patternrecognition in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and Bricks and Mortar in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).
Patternrecognition, owned by Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, comes into the Pegasus off consecutive victories in the Kelso (G2) at Belmont Park Sept. 22 and the Cigar Mile (G1) Dec. 1 at Aqueduct. The lightly-raced 6-year-old has finished first or second in 10 of 11 career starts.
“Timing works for us at this point in his career,” Brown said “He seems to be peaking and it’s the right time to really take a big swing at a huge purse.”
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Bricks and Mortar, also owned by Klaravich and Lawrence, won his first four starts as a 3-year-old. But after two third-place finishes in New York, Bricks and Mortar didn’t race for 14 months until impressively winning an allowance optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park Dec. 22.
“He’s a horse that always showed a lot of promise as a 3-year-old and, unfortunately, he had some injuries and needed a long time away from racing,” Brown said. “We were able to get him back in time to have a real productive allowance race and he seems ready to move forward.”
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Brown talks about the Pegasus, Patternrecognition, Bricks and Mortar and his 2018 season.
Mexico’s Undefeated Kukulkan Arrives for Pegasus
Mexico’s undefeated Triple Crown winner Kukulkan arrived late Sunday afternoon at Gulfstream Park to prepare for Saturday’s $9 million Pegasus
World Cup Invitational (G3), the richest race in North America.
Kukulkan ran his undefeated record to 14 when he won the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe at Gulfstream Dec. 8. The 4-year-old has been training since in Mexico. Kukulkan will face 11 others Saturday including Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and Horse of the Year finalist Accelerate, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner City of Light, Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Gunnevera and Preakness (G1) runner-up Bravazo.
Tom’s d’Etat Breezes Sunday at Fair Grounds for Pegasus
GMB Racing’s Tom’s d’Etat, six days before making his graded-stakes debut at age 6 in the Pegasus, had his final timed workout Sunday at Fair Grounds, blowing out an easy half-mile in 48.40 seconds Sunday under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan.
The work, which came after the mid-morning track renovation break, was eighth-fastest of 80 horses at the distance. In his previous breeze Jan. 12, Tom’s d’Etat went five furlongs in 1:00, fastest of 77 horses.
“His last work was the work that focused on getting him ready for the race,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said. “This work was just part of the schedule, kind of did enough to get a day off tomorrow. Looked like he always does, like he was just galloping, going around there with the greatest of ease. So we were really happy with it. Shaun was happy.”
Stall said that Tom’s d’Etat will train Tuesday morning at Fair Grounds before flying out later in the day to South Florida. He’ll be on the same flight as Pegasus favorite Accelerate, the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner and finalist for 2018 Horse of the Year.
Tom’s d’Etat’s promising career has been sidetracked by ankle issues. He ran and won his first stakes in Fair Grounds’ Tenacious Stakes, giving him six wins in nine starts. Stall said he’s looking forward to how Tom’s d’Etat stacks up against the likes of Accelerate and Dirt Mile winner City of Light.
