Test Score holds off Motion stablemate One Stripe in Pegasus World Cup Turf

Amerman Racing’s homebred Test Score held off South African celebrity One Stripe in Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), giving trainer Graham Motion the cold exacta in the $937,800 prize at Gulfstream Park.

Test Score, one of last season’s leading turf sophomores, was making his first foray versus older horses here. A similar angle applied to the upset winner of the $490,500 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2) earlier on the card, the Brad Cox-trained Destino d’Oro, who got up in time in a finish dominated by longshots. 

Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1)

Most recently an unlucky third in the Nov. 29 Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar, Test Score capitalized on a textbook trip here. The 7.60-1 chance reunited with Manny Franco, his regular pilot before his West Coast swing, and nestled in a cozy fourth from his rail draw.

Up front, Cabo Spirit tried to impose his will as the controlling speed, but Major Dude and Cugino hovered in monitoring mode through fractions of :23.71, :47.23, and 1:10.58 on the firm course. When Cabo Spirit shrugged off both pace attendees on the far turn, opportunities opened up for the next round of pursuers.

Test Score tipped out and tackled Cabo Spirit, while 1.30-1 favorite Program Trading cut the corner into contention. Astronomer moved in tandem with the favorite, and more challengers fanned out across the track. Almendares loomed menacingly alongside Test Score. Finally, on the far outside, One Stripe burst onto the scene under his South African jockey, Gavin Lerena, who flew in especially for this ride. 

Fending off the wave of attacks from all sides, Test Score found just enough to keep his neck in front of the lunging One Stripe. The son of champion Lookin at Lucky clocked 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.04.

“At the three-eighths pole,” Franco recapped, “the horse on the lead got away a little bit and I was able to go outside him. When (Test Score) made the front early, he kind of waited a little bit, but when he felt the competition again, he gave me another gear.”

One Stripe validated his international Grade 1 credentials with this near-miss.

 “I think the future is unlimited for him,” Motion said. “The distance really helped him today.

“It’s a little bittersweet because these guys are such good sports. They’ve traveled from South Africa to watch this horse run. He’s a really good horse. You’re going to hear a lot from this horse this year.”

The miler Almendares may have been outstayed a touch late, yet he salvaged third from Astronomer and Program Trading in a three-way photo. Fort Washington, Chasing the Crown, Call Sign Seven, Cabo Spirit, Beach Gold, Cugino, and the tailed-off Major Dude concluded the order under the wire. Also-eligible Balnikhov competed earlier in the William L. McKnight (G3) and finished third.

Test Score paid $17.20 while boosting his bankroll to $2,000,525 from a record of 13-5-3-3. The winner of last year’s Belmont Derby (G1), Twilight Derby (G2), and Transylvania (G3) also collected minor awards in the American Turf (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day, the Saratoga Derby (G1), and the Hollywood Derby last out. 

“(Test Score) had a lot of trouble in his last race and still ran well, he just couldn’t get there,” Motion said. “Manny gave him a great ride today.

“I’m going to give him a bit of a break. He’s had a long year. I wanted to point for this race. We’ll freshen him up for the spring.”

Kentucky-bred Test Score is the latest advertisement for his family. His dam, the Kitten’s Joy mare Joy of Learning, is a half-sister to Grade 1 vixen Coffee Clique and multiple Grade 3 scorer Admission Office. This is also the female line of multiple Grade 3 winner Endlessly.

Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2)

In the companion event for the distaff set, the 15-1 Destino d’Oro nabbed 31-1 Crevalle d’Oro, with 7-1 chance Movin’ on Up completing the pricey trifecta. 

All three were coming off smart efforts over the Gulfstream turf in December. Destino d’Oro rediscovered her winning form with a late charge in the Tropical Park Oaks, while Crevalle d’Oro and Movin’ on Up fought out the finish in the Suwannee River S. 

The 3.30-1 favorite in the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf, In Our Time, was trying to improve upon her third-place result in last year’s edition. But a contentious pace scenario this time took its toll, and the race set up for deep-closing Destino d’Oro.

In Our Time scampered to the front from post 11, cleared the field, and established an opening quarter in :23.43. Then she found company in the form of And One More Time, who rushed up from a poor start to head her at the half-mile mark in :46.87. They continued to spar through six furlongs in 1:10.41, and into the stretch, when both were swamped in the cavalry charge.

Movin’ on Up was the first to arrive on the premises from her stalking spot, but she was soon accosted in turn. Crevalle d’Oro hit top gear once she organized herself, and Destino d’Oro was gaining ground widest of all. 

Surging in the final strides for Junior Alvarado, Destino d’Oro prevailed by a half-length. The Steve Landers Racing filly negotiated 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.33 and returned $33.20.

As the “d’Oro” suffix implies, the top two are granddaughters of Medaglia d’Oro. Destino d’Oro is by his son Bolt d’Oro, and Crevalle d’Oro is out of a Medaglia d’Oro mare. 

Crevalle d’Oro was a half-length up on Movin’ on Up, who crossed the wire the same margin ahead of Whiskey Decision. Fourth-placer Whiskey Decision finished willingly once she saw enough daylight, prompting the question of whether she might have been closer with more luck in running. 

Next came Heredia, Caitlinhergrtness, And One More Time, Proctor Street, In Our Time, Breath Away, Ready for Shirl, and Classic Q, who was rank early after a troubled start. The also-eligibles, Awesome Czech and Candy Quest, did not draw into the field. Awesome Czech ran instead in a Tapeta handicap on the undercard and placed third. 

Destino d’Oro’s biggest career victory advanced her line to 8-5-0-1, $829,884. A rough-trip third in her stakes debut in the 2024 Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland, the bay was a dynamic winner of last summer’s Pucker Up (G3) at Ellis Park. Destino d’Oro lost her way with unplaced efforts in the Dueling Grounds Oaks (G3) at Kentucky Downs and Keeneland’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), but she’s righted the ship at Gulfstream.

Bred by Hurstland Farm and James H. Greene Jr. in Kentucky, Destino d’Oro went to her current connections for $185,000 as a two-year-old at OBS April. She was a pinhook success for CM Thoroughbreds, who snared her for $25,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She initially brought just $20,000 from Rusty Roberts, agent, as a weanling at Keeneland November. 

Destino d’Oro is out of the Grade 1-placed Lion Heart mare Heart of Destiny, runner-up to Stephanie’s Kitten in the 2011 Alcibiades (G1). She hails from the further family of another Alcibiades runner-up, Rosalind, who went on to score her signature win in the 2014 Ashland (G1).