Colonel Liam Eyes Pegasus Turf Bid After Tropical Park

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam overwhelmed nine rivals in the $75,000 Tropical Park Derby Dec. 26 at Gulfstream Park, making an emphatic case for inclusion in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T).

The Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, highlighted Saturday's 11-race program along with the $75,000 Tropical Park Oaks, a 1 1/16 turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies won by Viligantes Way, and the $75,000 H. Allen Jerkens, a two-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up won by Sir Anthony.

Colonel Liam, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., was making his first start since Aug. 15 but showed no rust while pulling away to a 3 1/4-length victory.

"He'd been training exceptionally well leading to this. We're happy to get him back," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "Hopefully, that earns him a spot in the Pegasus Turf."

The son of Liam's Map  rated several lengths behind the early pace while clear on the outside. Don Juan Kitten cut fractions of :24.30 and :48.51 for the first half-mile and continued to show the way heading into the turn for the homestretch, as Colonel Liam launched a breathtaking outside sweep that carried him to the lead at the top of the stretch. The Kentucky-bred colt powered away from the field without much urging from Ortiz.

"I had a good trip, I broke out of there and tried to get a good position," Ortiz said. "After the three-eighths pole, I tried to move on because I have probably the best horse and let him pick it up and he responded very well. He's a very nice horse."

Don Juan Kitten held second, a neck ahead of Summer to Remember. The order of finish was completed by By Your Side, Fancy Liquor, Sole Volante, Angelus Warrior, Me and Mr. C, Fighting Seabee, and Dack Janiel's.

Colonel Liam ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.95 on firm turf to record his third victory in five starts, increasing his earnings to $141,965. A $1.2 million purchase from Wavertree Stables' consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training in 2019, he graduated via the disqualification of the first-place finisher in his April 11 debut over Gulfstream's main track before finishing third in an optional claiming allowance at the Hallandale Beach oval May 24.

Two months later, Colonel Liam scored an impressive 2 3/4-length allowance victory in his turf debut at Saratoga Race Course, before enduring traffic trouble en route to a fourth-place finish in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes.

"He's really taken to the turf. We saw that in his allowance at Saratoga. He got in a little trouble in the Saratoga Derby," Pletcher said. "He came back great. I thought it was an impressive race. He kind of made a little bit of an early move and kept on going."

Colonel Liam gives Pletcher three prime candidates for the Pegasus Turf, joining Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) winner Largent and multiple graded stakes winner Social Paranoia.

"Any time you can get your name thrown into the hat of any of those Pegasus races, you've got to get excited," stable manager Jacob West said. "Todd had kind of hatched that plan weeks ago. … Obviously after today's performance, we'll point to that."

Bred in Kentucky by Phillips Racing Partnership out of the Bernardini  mare Amazement, Colonel Liam is the third of five registered foals and the first black-type winner out of his dam. The mare has two winners from four starters. She foaled an Arrogate colt April 9.

Video: Tropical Park Derby (BT)