Jesus' Team on Course for Pegasus World Cup

On the morning after his hard-fought victory in the Dec. 5 Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes, Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team was on course for a planned start in the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

"'Jesus' came out of the race good and happy," trainer Jose D'Angelo said.

Jesus' Team spent the morning of Dec. 6 winding down in a round pen at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach, after grinding out a victory by three-quarters of a length in the 1 1/8-mile headliner of the 22nd Claiming Crown, a nine-race event that pays tribute to the claiming horses that provide the backbone of the daily racing programs at racetracks throughout the country.

"I'll give him a week in the round pen before preparing for the Pegasus World Cup," D'Angelo said. "In between the hard races the last five months, I think the round pen has been very good for him. It's good for him mentally and physically."

Jesus' Team, a 3-year-old son of Tapiture , became Claiming Crown-eligible when he started his career in the claiming ranks but has developed into a multiple grade 1-placed performer. He finished third in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and second in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) to earn the 2-5 favorite's role in the Jewel. The stretch-running colt worked hard to earn the victory over pacesetting Storm Runner. Jockey Luis Saez, who rode six winners Saturday, opted to keep Jesus' Team closer to the pace than usual to closely monitor the dangerous Storm Runner.

"It was a hard race. He had only one work before the race. I chose only one work to keep him happy and healthy. I had confidence in him," D'Angelo said. "In his last two races, he ran back to front—only one move. (Saturday) he made two runs, like he did in the Jim Dandy (G2). He ran close to the front early. That's not good for him."

D'Angelo said he expects the Jewel to set up Jesus' Team perfectly for the Pegasus.