Four weeks before the Jan. 27 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park, 11 older horses take aim at Gulfstream's Pegasus prep—the $150,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) Dec. 30.
The 1 1/16-mile dirt contest could propel some of its top performers toward the $3 million, 1 1/8-mile Pegasus. Earlier this year, the 1-2-4 finishers from the 2022 Harlan's Holiday—Skippylongstocking, Simplification , and O'Connor—contested the Pegasus, though all finished in the rear half of the Pegasus pack.
O'Connor, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. for the partnership of Michael and Julia Iavarone and Fernando Vine Ode, returns for the 2023 Harlan's Holiday. Since running 11th in the 2023 Pegasus, he raced five other times, hitting the board on four occasions, with one of those starts being a win in the Fayette Stakes (G2) at Keeneland last out Oct. 28. Rallying from seventh under Tyler Gaffalione, who returns in the irons Saturday, he outfinished Il Miracolo and Speed Bias to take a three-horse photo.
"In the Keeneland race, he was off the pace, but he was handy the whole way. He was into the bridle and traveled well for Tyler," Joseph said. "If he can travel the same way, it will increase his chances Saturday."
The bay 6-year-old son of Boboman is 11-7-3 in 26 starts with earnings of $660,969. A group 1 winner in Chile, he is 2-2-1 in eight starts since being imported to the United States.
Joseph also starts the gray/roan Ny Traffic, best known for finishing second to 2020 Horse of the Year Authentic in the Haskell Stakes (G1) during the COVID-19-impacted year of racing in 2020. Ny Traffic was later eighth behind Authentic in the 2020 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, postponed that year from May until September due to the onset of the pandemic.
A 6-year-old son of Cross Traffic , Ny Traffic has won five times in 2021-23, though in allowance-level or minor stakes company. His last victory came Sept. 15 in an allowance optional claiming race during the Belmont at the Big A meet, followed by a runner-up finish in the Hudson Stakes there for New York-breds.
Joseph called the Harlan's Holiday "a perfect scenario to see if he wants to run two turns again."
Javier Castellano is aboard.
Facing the Joseph Duo
The opposition includes two horses trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher: fast, first-level allowance winner Grand Aspen and Gasoline, fifth in the Clark Stakes (G2) in his last start. Both horses last competed at Churchill Downs.
The Harlan's Holiday field also attracted:
- Dubyuhnell, the 2022 Remsen Stakes (G2) winner who took a second-level allowance optional claimer Oct. 28 at Keeneland;
- Blue Devil, fourth in the Clark;
- Signator, who has captured two straight in New York;
- and last-out Gulfstream Park winners Octane, Steal Sunshine, and Lure Him In.
Undercard Dirt Stakes Action
Last year's Rampart Stakes winner, Rodney Lundock's homebred Maryquitecontrary, returns in this year's $125,000 renewal for her new trainer, Eddie Plesa Jr. She battles five rivals over a mile on dirt, including come-backing stakes winner Unifying and graded winner Nostalgic.
