Something Awesome Heads Slate of Florida Pegasus Works

Stronach Stables' millionaire homebred Something Awesome breezed Jan. 5 for the first time since arriving in South Florida ahead of his next scheduled assignment, the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) coming up Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado was aboard as the multiple graded stakes winner went one mile in 1:42.62 over Gulfstream's main track. Prado has the mount on Something Awesome in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus.

"I had another horse at the half-mile pole, and they finished together," trainer Jose Corrales said. "He did it very comfortable. Everything looks good."

It was the first work for Something Awesome since he went 1 1/8 miles in 2:01 Dec. 15 at his home base of Laurel Park. He shipped to Gulfstream on Christmas Day and has been getting acclimated to his surroundings.

"I don't care about the time; I just care about the horse and how he reacts and how he finishes and how he comes back," Corrales said. "He's handled everything very, very good. Everything is good so far."

Something Awesome won five of his first six starts since joining Corrales in the fall of 2017, including victories in the seven-furlong General George Stakes (G3) and $1.2 million Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2), the latter over 1 1/8 miles.

The 8-year-old Awesome Again  gelding has made one start since the May 18 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3), finishing second to Maryland Coalition Stakes winner Colonel Sharp in an open seven-furlong allowance Nov. 16 at Laurel. Colonel Sharp came back to win the Dec. 29 Dave's Friend Stakes.

Overall, Something Awesome has nine wins and $1.093 million in purse earnings from 26 starts. He has raced twice at Gulfstream, running third in a pair of seven-furlong optional-claiming allowances in 2017.

Also working for Corrales Saturday at Gulfstream was another Stronach Stables homebred, 7-year-old gelding Unbridled Juan, who went five furlongs in 1:04.44. Winner of the Richard W. Small Stakes and Grover "Buddy" Delp Memorial Stakes in his last two starts, he is being considered for the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T), the richest grass race in North America.

Unbridled Juan, second in the 2018 Dixie Stakes (G3) and third in the 2017 Eclipse Stakes (G2), has seven wins and $505,323 in purse earnings from 26 starts. In his lone try on turf, he was fourth in the 2017 King Edward Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine, but he has also raced five times over the Canada oval's all-weather surface, including the Eclipse.

"He did OK. Everything is good with him," Corrales said. "I think with the way he's training, he can compete in that kind of race."

Also Saturday, likely Pegasus favorite and 2018 Horse of the Year finalist Accelerate  went six furlongs in a bullet 1:13 2/5 at Santa Anita Park; 2018 Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner Audible was clocked in 1:01.45 for five furlongs at Palm Beach Downs; and multiple graded stakes winner Gunnevera, third in the 2018 Pegasus, breezed six furlongs in 1:15 1/5 at Gulfstream Park West.

Accelerate's John Sadler-trained stablemate Catapult, a multiple grade 2 winner who ran second in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) last out, worked six furlongs in 1:14 flat Saturday at Santa Anita for the Pegasus Turf.