Zulu Alpha, Spun to Run Work Ahead of Pegasus Races
Image:
Description:
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Zulu Alpha in his stall at Santa Anita Park ahead of the Breeders' Cup
Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Presented by Runhappy (G1T) probable Zulu Alpha turned in a five-furlong breeze at Gulfstream Park Jan. 13 for trainer Mike Maker. The 7-year-old Street Cry gelding was clocked in 1:01.42 and galloped out to six furlongs in 1:14.64.
Zulu Alpha is coming into the Jan. 25 Pegasus Turf off a fourth-place finish in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), where he made a wide, late bid down the center of Santa Anita Park's turf course to get within two lengths of winner and Eclipse Award finalist Bricks and Mortar.
Bred by Calumet Farm, Zulu Alpha was campaigned by the famed farm until September 2018 when he won an allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs. It was in that race that Michael Hui laid an $80,000 claim to the horse and soon placed him with Maker.
Zulu Alpha has raced at the graded level ever since and has four wins for his new connections, including a score in the 1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T) and the 1 1/2-mile W. L. McKnight Stakes (G3T), both at Gulfstream Park.
Preparing for a start in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Presented by Runhappy (G1)—the feature race of the card—Spun to Run worked an easy five furlongs in 1:03 at Palm Meadows Training Center for trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero.
The Hard Spun colt was the upset winner of the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and most recently fell 3 1/2 lengths short of Maximum Security to finish second in the Dec. 7 Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack.