Colonel Liam Called Back Into Duty in Pegasus Turf

As in 2021, Robert and Lawana Law's Colonel Liam  is favored to win the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat (G1T) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park. Dissimilar is his preparation for it.

Last year he stormed into the race after having won the Tropical Park Derby, giving him a race over the course at the meet. This year, he has no such local prep, or any recent race, not having started since finishing eighth in the Results World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) in June at Belmont Park. His odds are listed at 3-1 on the morning line.

That inactivity may leave his 11 foes with a chance, or at least, it leaves his opposing connections hopeful of an upset. They have recency on their side.

Trainer Mike Maker fires the most shots by entering four: Atone , Flavius , Field Pass , and Cross Border —the latter two for Three Diamonds Farm. Of the quartet, Field Pass has the lowest morning-line odds at 10-1, having just defeated the Chad Brown-trained Sacred Life  in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar Nov. 27.

The latter, owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Bethlehem Stables, is the 6-1 third choice on the Pegasus morning line.

In addition to Pletcher, Maker and Brown have previously won the Pegasus Turf, with Maker doing so with Michael Hui's Zulu Alpha  in 2020 and Brown with Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Bricks and Mortar  a year earlier. Bricks and Mortar became Horse of the Year in 2019.

Neither Zulu Alpha nor Bricks and Mortar returned for a title defense. Pletcher said it would be "awesome" if Colonel Liam could repeat under regular jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

"We feel good about everything going into it," he said. "We'll just keep our fingers crossed for a good trip and, hopefully, he can come with another big effort."

Colonial Liam, a son of Liam's Map  , got some time off starting in late summer and resumed breezing in early December at Palm Beach Downs as he approaches his first start as a 5-year-old.

"I think over the years we've done pretty well in layoff situations, so I think it was important that we got the works into him that we did and we were fortunate enough that everything went according to the way we mapped it out," Pletcher said. 

Before 2019, the Pegasus Turf was run as the Gulfstream Park Turf with a much smaller purse, worth $300,000 in 2018.

Though Pletcher is bringing comebacking Colonel Liam into the 1 1/8-mile race with different preparation, another starter for the Hall of Fame trainer mirrors Colonel Liam's form from last winter. Repole Stable's Never Surprised  dominated the Tropical Park Derby last month for the Pletcher.

Drawn outside in the Pegasus Turf, Never Surprised may have the speed to offset his wide draw. Luis Saez will be aboard the speedy 4-year-old son of Constitution  , the 7-2 second choice.

"When we came down looking at the Tropical Derby, we were hoping he'd run well enough to earn his way into the Pegasus. He was able to do that," Pletcher said. "I think Never Surprised is coming in with a live chance. We'll see how much speed is in the race, but he's kind of shown that he's able to get into that high cruising speed and keep going. It'll be a fun race to watch."

At 1 1/8 miles, this year's Pegasus is a sixteenth shorter than the three prior renewals—a trip that makes it more appealing to the connections of a miler such as Hit the Road .

A California invader trained by Dan Blacker, Hit the Road (More Than Ready  ) won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) last March at Santa Anita Park in his top achievement. He won six of 12 starts for owners D K Racing, Radley Equine, Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, Tony Maslowski, and Dave Odmark.

"He's the best horse I've ever trained. Hopefully there'll be more like him to come, but, he's a really special horse," Blacker said. 

While Hit the Road tries a longer distance, Calumet Farm's 7-year-old Channel Cat   cuts back to a shorter one. An 8-1 surprise victor in the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) last spring at 1 3/8 miles, the son of English Channel  has the speed to remain close to the pace.

"We couldn't ask him to be doing any better. His final piece of work was last Thursday, and it was probably the finest piece of work he's ever done with us," trainer Jack Sisterson said. "He came out of the breeze in good shape, and he just really seems to be getting bigger and stronger and faster and he should be going the other way because he's getting older. It's quite remarkable. We're looking forward to Saturday."

He enters stud this season in Kentucky according to Calumet's website.

Channel Cat races with blinkers off, while outsider Space Traveller  adds the equipment.

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

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, January 29, 2022, Race 11

• Grade IT
• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $1,000,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:49 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Space Traveller (GB)	Jamie P. Spencer	123	Brendan P. Walsh	12/1
2	2Atone (KY)	Javier Castellano	123	Michael J. Maker	20/1
3	3Flavius (KY)	Paco Lopez	123	Michael J. Maker	15/1
4	4March to the Arch (FL)	Edwin Gonzalez	123	Mark E. Casse	20/1
5	5Hit the Road (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	123	Dan Blacker	8/1
6	6Colonel Liam (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	123	Todd A. Pletcher	3/1
7	7Doswell (KY)	Junior Alvarado	123	Barclay Tagg	10/1
8	8Sacred Life (FR)	Jose L. Ortiz	123	Chad C. Brown	6/1
9	9Field Pass (MD)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	123	Michael J. Maker	10/1
10	10Channel Cat (KY)	Joel Rosario	123	Jack Sisterson	12/1
11	11Cross Border (NY)	Reylu Gutierrez	123	Michael J. Maker	15/1
12	12Never Surprised (KY)	Luis Saez	123	Todd A. Pletcher	7/2