Ron Paolucci of Loooch Racing Stables has reached a deal to lease his spot in the Jan. 27 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational to GI Cigar Mile H. winner Sharp Azteca (Freud) after agreeing to terms with the 5-year-old's owner Ivan Rodriguez Sunday. Paolucci, who will also run his War Story (Northern Afleet) in the race, said he had been in ongoing discussions with Rodriguez as of Sunday morning. The news that the deal had been officially completed was first reported by the Daily Racing Form.
“Sixteen million reasons,” Paolucci said when asked why he was interested in partnering to run Sharp Azteca. “I try to compete at the highest level, but I don't always have the highest money to be able to compete at that level. When you get an opportunity like that with a War Story and [another potential starter in] Game Over (Mineshaft)–and maybe you can rent a horse and try to get a horse in the spot– it's a race you want to win. Everybody's watching the race.”
Sharp Azteca breezed five furlongs for trainer Jorge Navarro at Gulfstream Park West Sunday morning, stopping the timer in 1:00.20 under Javier Castellano [video].
“It looked like to me he got stronger as he went,” Paolucci said. “Javier was trying to pull him up a little on the backside and he wanted to keep going. It's a great sign if you're going a mile and an eighth.”
War Story was also on the worktab for Navarro and Paolucci, completing five furlongs in an easy 1:03.40. The 5-year-old graded stakes winner was last seen finishing fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic behind Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}).
Likely 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner breezed six furlongs in 1:13 1/5 at Fair Grounds in company with workmate Gettysburg (Pioneerof the Nile) Sunday. Starting off a couple of lengths behind his workmate, Gun Runner reeled off splits of :12 1/5, :24 2/5, :36 2/5 and :49 1/5, going the final quarter-mile in :24 flat and galloping out seven-eighths of a mile in a strong 1:25 4/5 and the mile in 1:39 4/5. Gun Runner worked beneath regular pilot Florent Geroux.
“They worked head-and-head last week, and this week we chose to back him off Gettysburg early and just let him settle,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I thought he handled it really nicely and galloped out really good. It wasn't as intense of a work as last week, and I feel good about it…He was probably two or three [lengths] off of Gettysburg away from the pole, engaged him probably by the three-eighths pole and Gettysburg carried him to almost the sixteenth pole.”
Charles Fipke's Pegasus contender Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}), winner of the Nov. 24 GI Clark H. in his most recent start, also worked Sunday in New Orleans, completing five-eighths of a mile in 1:03 1/5 under exercise rider Emerson Chavez.
“Just a little bit easier today–he came back good and looked great,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “So we'll have two more works–we're on schedule.”
Back in Florida, champion Stellar Wind (Curlin) breezed for the first time as a 6-year-old Sunday morning, continuing preparations for a start against male rivals in the Pegasus. Stellar Wind worked five furlongs in 1:01.50 in company with Shagaf (Bernardini) [video] for trainer Chad Brown at Palm Meadows.
“She worked terrific. She worked with Shagaf, a horse who's on the comeback trail and who's a nice horse, and I thought she did really well,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She particularly galloped out super. So, right now we're on target for the Pegasus.”
Brown said Stellar Wind had previously worked in company with Saturday's Mucho Macho Man S. hero and 'TDN Rising Star' Mask (Tapit), who is now undefeated in two starts.
“They worked together a couple of times–I thought they would be a good matchup,” Brown said. “They both got a lot out of it and, as you saw, Mask got a lot out of those works. Hopefully she does as well.”
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