February 12, 2025

Be Your Best holds off Sacred Wish in Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf

Be Your Best wins the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

Michael Ryan’s homebred Be Your Best extended her winning streak to three in Saturday’s $490,976 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G2) at Gulfstream Park. In the form of her life since transferring to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., the 7.40-1 chance held off the late rally of Sacred Wish by a neck.

Be Your Best, who wired the 1 3/8-mile Long Island (G3) at Aqueduct two starts ago, worked out a pace-prompting trip when reverting to a mile in the Dec. 21 Suwannee River (G3) here. The Irish-bred daughter of Muhaarar enjoyed a similarly favorable passage with Edgard Zayas back aboard.

Raqiya, the 2.20-1 favorite, was expected to be involved in the pace scenario from her rail post. But she was wrangled behind the speed and failed to land a blow in fifth.

Instead, it was Be Your Best’s stablemate, In Our Time, who was intent on seizing the initiative. Be Your Best chased in second as In Our Time reeled off fractions of :22.88 and :46.81, took closer order passing six furlongs in 1:09.81, and wore down the pacesetter in midstretch. Sacred Wish, the only closer to get involved, uncorked a bold run that came up just short.

Be Your Best negotiated 1 1/16 miles on the firm course in 1:39.02 while scoring her biggest career victory. Her loyalists were rewarded with a payout of $16.80.

“It set up perfect, absolutely,” Zayas said. “Once (In Our Time) got in, I knew she was the speed of the speed. The plan was to get covered up behind her, and it worked out perfect. She has a lot of stamina. The pace was quick, but they’ve been going quick all day. The track is pretty fast and they keep on going. At the end, she never quit; she kept on steady, steady, steady.”

In Our Time boxed on for third, 2 1/2 lengths clear of Pounce. Next came Raqiya, Bless My Stars, Papilio, Minoushka, Watchtower, Dona Clota, and the tailed-off De Regreso. Fluffy Socks was scratched due to an injury that prompted her retirement, and See You Around and Ocean Club were likewise withdrawn. Their absence allowed In Our Time and De Regreso to draw in as also-eligibles.

Be Your Best’s resume now reads 18-5-3-2, $897,429. The bay flashed talent early on for original trainer Horacio de Paz, winning her first two starts at Saratoga including the 2022 P.G. Johnson S. She endured a losing skid thereafter, but she did pick up placings in the Miss Grillo (G2), Wonder Again (G2), Del Mar Oaks (G1), and American Oaks (G1).

Bred in the name of St. Croix Bloodstock, Be Your Best is out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Kamakura, who is herself a full sister to Grade 3-placed stakes victor Bay of Plenty and a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Fortify. Be Your Best’s third dam, Group 1-winning multiple highweight Flagbird, is also the ancestress of Grade 1 scorers Little Belle and Dickinson. This is the further family of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft, tracing to the blue hen *La Troienne.