Mo Forza Looks to Score Big in Pegasus World Cup Turf

With the late defection of Omaha Beach  and Spun to Run from the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) throwing a proverbial wrench in the field for the Jan. 25 feature race at Gulfstream Park, fingers are crossed that all runners slated to participate in its turf counterpart will make it to the starting gate. 

So far, the field for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T) has managed to remain intact, and hopes are high that with a little luck and a lot of cooperation from the South Florida weather, the second annual running will prove just as electric as the first. 

In a talent-laden field, a lot is riding on the shoulders of the youngest runner, Bardy Farm and OG Boss' Mo Forza.

What Mo Forza lacks in experience, he makes up for in gumption. The son of Uncle Mo  hit the radar as a serious turf contender when he won the Qatar Twilight Derby (G2T) by 1 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita Park one start after breaking his maiden. He won the Hollywood Derby (G1T) at Del Mar less than 30 days later. 

Back at Santa Anita for the last start of his sophomore season, Mo Forza turned in a massive last-to-first effort to take the Dec. 28 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) by 1 1/4 lengths. His three consecutive stakes wins were enough to put him on the ballot as a finalist for champion male turf horse with last year's Pegasus Turf victor and newly elected 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar. 

"He's doing really good. So far, so good for us," said Peter Miller, who trained Stormy Liberal to an Eclipse Award for champion turf male in 2018. "He shipped in well, and he seems happy here and he's eating well. Everything is going smoothly." 

The Pegasus Turf will be Mo Forza's first start outside of his home base of California and his steepest challenge yet. But Miller isn't worried about whether his protégé will show up Saturday. 

"Obviously, it's a very tough race, but I think we're fairly evenly matched," Miller said. "There are a lot of horses that could win it, but I think we fit very well. 

"He's a very consistent horse that fires every time. (Handling the turf course is) the main question when you have a different turf course than the California courses. But he seems like a horse that will run on anything. I expect him to run well, but this is his first time against older horses. The water is a little deeper, but he's a very talented horse and we have a great rider in Joel Rosario. I feel good about our chances." 

Mo Forza, 5-1 on the morning line, will break from post 10 under Rosario, who was aboard for the Mathis Brothers Mile. 

"I don't think (post position) matters a whole lot with him," Miller said. "He's got tactical speed, so the post shouldn't matter. It's a long run to the first turn, and he should be forwardly placed. They're calling for a little bit of rain each day, but I think with this turf course it takes quite a bit of rain. It's a sand base, so I think it takes the water pretty good. I don't expect it to be an excuse for him." 

Also making his first start at Gulfstream Park is 6-year-old Arklow, a grade 1-winning son of Arch who has won or placed in 14 of his 24 starts for trainer Brad Cox. 

"He had a fantastic gallop (Jan. 24), and he really settled in fine," Cox said of the runner owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and Peter Coneway. "He shipped in Tuesday, and he's adjusted very, very well." 

Arklow hit the board in five of his seven races at five tracks across the country last year. His only missteps came in April when he dropped his rider in the gate in a Keeneland allowance race and in his final effort of the year at Santa Anita Park where he finished off the board in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).

Between those efforts, Arklow picked up the first top-level win of his career in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T); was second in the Man o' War Stakes (G1T), Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T), and Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G3T); and finished a game third in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T). 

"Obviously, we've been training on the dirt, but he runs on anything," Cox said. "He'll run on very hard turf or if it's got cut in the ground … whatever. He's a very honest horse. I expect him to run well." 

Arklow will leave from post 2 under Luis Saez. Cox said the only wildcard in the race is bound to be Arklow's attitude. 

"With him, he's a little tricky," Cox said. "Sometimes he breaks and puts himself up in the race, and sometimes he breaks and just kind of falls into the race. I guess it depends on how he's doing and if he behaves in the gate. That's the one thing with him. He's a very laid-back horse, but sometimes on race day he does act up in the gate a little bit. It cost him back in April when he actually left the jockey in the gate. ... but we school him in the mornings and he's perfect. He obviously knows the difference between schooling and race day. As long as he settles and behaves in the gate, I expect him to put himself in a decent position." 

Headlining the field Saturday will be Magic Wand, who will try her luck once more on the Gulfstream turf after being denied last year by Bricks and Mortar. The only mare in the field, Magic Wand has competed in six countries on four continents during her career.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien and campaigned by Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith, she earned her first group 1 win at Flemington in Australia when she took the Nov. 9 Seppelt MacKinnon Stakes (G1). Magic Wand drew the far outside post 12, and Ryan Moore will have the call. 

Chad Brown, who won this race last year with Bricks and Mortar, will send out three runners this year. Leading the charge for the four-time Eclipse Award winner is Without Parole, who took the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot at 3. Transferred to Brown last fall by owners John and Tanya Gunther, the son of Frankel took third in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) in his U.S. debut. 

Without Parole will leave from post 3 under Frankie Dettori. 

OXO Equine's Instilled Regard enters off a win for Brown in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream. His only previous stakes win came in the 2018 Lecomte Stakes (G3) on the dirt at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Irad Ortiz Jr., who had the call on Bricks and Mortar, will partner from post 6. 

Sacred Life began his career in France before being transferred to Brown in 2019. Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Bethlehem Stables, the son of Siyouni will break from post 11 under Jose Ortiz. 

Zulu Alpha, Sadler's Joy, Channel Cat, Admission Office, Henley's Joy, and Next Shares complete the field. Tusk is an also-eligible. 

Entries: Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. presented by Runhappy (G1T)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, January 25, 2020, Race 11

• Grade IT
• 1 3/16m
• Turf
• $1,000,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:49 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Zulu Alpha (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	124	Michael J. Maker	12/1
2	2Arklow (KY)	Luis Saez	124	Brad H. Cox	6/1
3	3Without Parole (GB)	Lanfranco Dettori	124	Chad C. Brown	4/1
4	4Sadler's Joy (KY)	Javier Castellano	124	Thomas Albertrani	8/1
5	5Channel Cat (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	Todd A. Pletcher	10/1
6	6Instilled Regard (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	124	Chad C. Brown	10/1
7	7Admission Office (KY)	Flavien Prat	124	Brian A. Lynch	30/1
8	8Henley's Joy (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	124	Michael J. Maker	30/1
9	9Next Shares (KY)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	124	Richard Baltas	30/1
10	10Mo Forza (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Peter Miller	5/1
11	11Sacred Life (FR)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Chad C. Brown	12/1
12	12Magic Wand (IRE)	Ryan L. Moore	119	Aidan P. O'Brien	7/2