Newgrange Joins Pegasus Field

Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's 5-year-old millionaire Newgrange, a five-time graded-stakes winner, has been elevated to the main dozen horses on the final invitation list for the $3.015 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. Newgrange owns seven wins, four thirds, and more than $1 million in purse earnings from 15 lifetime starts, and has gone unraced since finishing fifth in the 1 1/16-mile San Diego Handicap (G2) last July at Del Mar. Previously based in Southern California with trainer Phil D'Amato, his most recent graded triumphs came in the 2023 San Antonio Stakes (G2) and 2024 San Pasqual Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park. By Violence, Newgrange has breezed once in South Florida for trainer Jose D'Angelo, going four furlongs in :47 Jan. 8 at Palm Meadows Training Center, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. It was the fastest of 36 works at the distance. Newgrange takes the place of Skinner, last-out winner of the 1 1/8-mile Native Diver Stakes (G3) Nov. 23, who is being pointed to make his season debut in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 18. The remaining top 11 horses remain unchanged—Crupi, Imagination, Locked, Mixto, Mystik Dan, Power Squeeze, Saudi Crown, Senor Buscador, Skippylongstocking, Stronghold and White Abarrio. The $1.015 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) saw Chasing the Crown, Running Bee and Spirit of St Louis elevated from reserves to the main list of 12 following the defections of Get Smokin, Johannes, and Redistricting (GB). Chasing the Crown, unraced since an allowance optional claimer win Nov. 7, is trained by Mike Maker, who won the Pegasus Turf with Zulu Alpha (2020) and Atone (2023). Running Bee and Spirit of St Louis are Chad Brown-trained stablemates of Redistricting. Running Bee is a three-time stakes winner including the 2024 Monmouth Stakes (G3T) that has placed in two other graded stakes. Spirit of St Louis has been first or second in 12 of 13 starts, nine of them wins, five in stakes against fellow New York-breds. In the $515,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T), Prerequisite was moved to the list of alternates and replaced by previous reserve See You Around (IRE), a neck winner of the 1 1/16-mile Tropical Park Oaks Dec. 14 at Gulfstream. The post-position draw for all three Pegasus World Cup races will be held Jan. 19 at Gulfstream's Carousel Club. The Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf will be drawn following race 2, Pegasus Turf after race 3 and Pegasus World Cup following race 4.