Robert and Lawana Low’s Colonel Liam , two-time defending titleholder in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T), is set to launch his comeback fairly soon at Gulfstream Park.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher entered the 5-year-old son of Liam's Map in an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up scheduled for 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass Dec. 15, where he is the first of three also-eligibles in an overflow field of 15.
Colonel Liam has not raced since finishing ninth in the March 26 Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World (G1). The $1.8 million earner returned to the work tab Nov. 6 at Palm Beach Downs, Pletcher’s South Florida base, most recently breezing a half-mile in :50.31 Dec. 9.
“He’s had a nice work tab. He worked really well the other day,” Pletcher said. “I think he’s come back in good order.”
Colonel Liam has raced five times at Gulfstream with four wins, including an April 2020 debut triumph and the December 2020 Tropical Park Derby. Other stakes wins have come in the 2021 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1T) and Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T).
This past January, Colonel Liam became the first horse to repeat as a winner on the Pegasus World Cup program. He helped Pletcher complete a sweep of Gulfstream’s richest races that included Life Is Good ’s triumph in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1).
Should Colonel Liam not draw into Thursday’s race, Pletcher mentioned the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the grass Dec. 31 at Gulfstream as a backup plan.
Also in Thursday’s race is stablemate Never Surprised, the 2022 Pegasus Turf runner-up who has not started since running fifth as the favorite in the March 5 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream. Owned by Repole Stable, the 4-year-old Constitution colt has been working steadily since late September at Palm Beach Downs.
Never Surprised is also being pointed to a return in the Pegasus Turf.
“Colonel Liam is trying for the three-peat in the Pegasus Turf. He hasn’t run in a while, so we’re looking to get a race into him,” Pletcher said. “I’m hoping to get a start into both of them before hopefully coming back in the Pegasus Turf.”
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
