Pegasus World Cup Day preps offered at Gulfstream

Veteran performer Skippylongstocking returns to action for the first time in nearly four months on Saturday in the $150,000 Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Park, a nominal 1 1/16-mile prep for next month's Pegasus World Cup (G1).

Although his distant third to stablemate White Abarrio last January was his best World Cup finish in three attempts, Skippylongstocking can count the 2022 Harlan's Holiday as one of his three prior wins over the Gulfstream strip. He also has several Grade 2 wins, including the Oaklawn H., Hollywood Gold Cup, and two editions of the Charles Town Classic.

Skippylongstocking was virtually eased while attempting a three-peat bid in the Aug. 22 Charles Town Classic, but was reportedly found to be suffering from thumps, an electrolyte imbalance.

Another notable in the Harlan's Holiday field is Godolphin homebred Poster, who returned from a lengthy absence on Nov. 9 to capture a third-level turf allowance at Churchill Downs. His signature win to date came on the main track when he captured the 2024 Remsen (G2).

The stakes action at Gulfstream ends with the $200,000 Ft. Lauderdale (G3), a nine-furlong test which should yield starters for next month's Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1). 

Major Dude, the 2024 Ft. Lauderdale winner, recently snapped a seven-race losing skid with an odds-on triumph in the Artie Schiller S. at Aqueduct. However, there are several others which merit long looks.

Cugino has won four of his past five starts, including the Tropical Park Derby, Red Bank S., and Red Smith (G2). Wolfie's Dynaghost blitzed 10 rivals in the River City (G3) at Churchill Downs last month in a field that included Chasing the Crown, who crashed the Pegasus World Cup Turf trifecta last winter at 64-1.

The $125,000 Sugar Swirl S. for fillies and mares over six furlongs figures to be dominated by defending titlist Mystic Lake and Nic's Style, while Coppola looks to keep his local supremacy over Reef Runner intact in his title defense of the $125,000 Janus S., a five-furlong turf dash for older horses.

Movin' On Up will put up her flawless record over the Gulfstream turf on the line in the $150,000 Suwannee River S., a one-mile grass affair for fillies and mares which has also attracted last-out Noble Damsel S. winner Aussie Girl and the Group 3-placed Sirona for Graham Motion.