Hoist The Gold Stacks Up Well
Dream Team One Racing Stable’s Hoist the Gold’s credentials heading into Saturday’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by Baccarat stack up well against those of his rivals entered in the headliner of the Saturday card at Gulfstream Park.
The 13-race program is loaded with with seven graded stakes, including the $1 million 1/ST BET Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and the $500,000 TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2).
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A Grade 1 stakes-placed multiple graded-stakes winner, however, has one conspicuous gap in the resume – a victory around two turns – not that the Dallas Stewart-trained 5-year-old has had a whole lot of opportunities to stretch out.
“He’s by Mineshaft out of a Tapit mare,” Stewart said. “We tried two turns one time. It was a year ago, but he’s a different horse now.”
The millionaire one-turn standout launched his 2023 racing season in the 1 1/16-mile Mineshaft (G3) at Fair Grounds last February while seeking his first victory in more than a year. He showed the way for a half-mile before weakening to fourth.
Hoist the Gold will make his second two-turn start Saturday after producing two victories and best performances of his career from his three most recent starts.
The homebred veteran captured the Oct. 6 six-furlong Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland prior to finishing sixth in the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita.
He bounced back with a stunning 4 ¼-lengths front-running triumph at Aqueduct in the Dec. 2 Cigar Mile. Hall of Famer John Velazquez has been aboard Hoist the Gold in his three recent starts.
“He’s trained terrific for the race. His works have been just fabulous. We think it’s a winnable race if he handles the two turns,” Steward said. “John thinks he’ll get the distance. It’s a $3 million race and something we needed to look at. We did and came to the conclusion that we needed to run.”
Hoist the Gold, who drew the No. 4 post position, is rated at 12-1 on the morning line.
