Tenfold in a 'Great Rhythm' for Pegasus World Cup

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tenfold worked a leisurely half-mile in :51 flat at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on a frigid morning Jan. 20. The breeze was his final training session planned before a Jan. 21 flight from New Orleans to South Florida for the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The workout time ranked 43 of 52 works at the distance, but was typical of what Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen wants from his horses the Monday before a Saturday race. 

"He's in a great rhythm," said Asmussen, who won the 2018 Pegasus with Gun Runner . "The horse has trained with a lot of energy lately and heads out to Gulfstream tomorrow."

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano has the mount on Tenfold, the trainer said.

Tenfold, a 5-year-old son of Curlin , finished fourth—beaten less than a length—in his last start, the Dec. 21 Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds. At 3 Tenfold won the Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) at 3 and the Jim Dandy Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G2). Regardless of placing, he will exit the Pegasus as a millionaire as he has earned more than $968,000 and race conditions specify a $50,000 minimum payout to starters who have won a graded stakes within in the past two years.

Eric Dattner, Barclay Tagg, and Harry Astarita's Realm, on the also-eligible list for the Pegasus, worked a half-mile in :49 Monday at Palm Meadows Training Center.

Woodslane Farm's Sadler's Joy, an invitee to the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T), went five furlongs on the main track at Palm Meadows. He was timed in 1:03 2/5.

Back at Gulfstream, Michael Hui's Pegasus Turf contender Zulu Alpha breezed four furlongs in :49.76 on the dirt.