National Treasure slight favorite in Pegasus World Cup

NATIONAL TREASURE

The 2023 Preakness winner is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a full field for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Trained by Bob Baffert, National Treasure, who was fifth to Arcangelo in the Travers at Saratoga last summer, is coming off a loss to Cody’s Wish by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

Post time for the Pegasus World Cup (race No. 13) is 5:40 p.m.

INTEGRATION

If undefeated horses is your thing, keep an eye on Integration in Saturday’s 12th race on the Pegasus World Cup card, the Turf Invitational, where he’s the 3-1 second choice behind Warm Heart. Integration was 3-for-3 as a 3-year-old, including the Grade II Hill Prince at Aqueduct in November.

Post time is 4:55.

OLIVIER

His father is Tapit, and his mother is Feathered, which makes Olivier a full brother to 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline, so anticipation is high for Olivier’s career debut as the 2-1 favorite in the fifth at Oaklawn Park on Sunday. Trainer Rodolphe Brisset may scratch, though, since Olivier’s training has been hampered by recent weather cancellations at Oaklawn.

Post time is 3:25.

MESSIER

Named for NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier, Messier the horse is 7-5 against allowance company in the ninth race at Laurel Park on Saturday. His 3-year-old season in 2022 included two Grade III victories in California in the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby, where he finished 15th to 80-1 Rich Strike. Co-owner Tom Ryan named the horse because his father-in-law, Pat Hughes, and wife’s uncle, Mark Naper, both played with Mark Messier for the Edmonton Oilers.

Post time is 3:36.

LOBSTA

After a busy 2023 season in which he ran 11 times, with two allowance wins at Finger Lakes, the 6-year-old will make his 2024 debut at 10-1 odds in a claiming race at Aqueduct on Friday for Schenectady native Eddie Fazzone, who owns Eddie F’s seafood restaurants in Saratoga Springs and Clifton Park. Try the lobster roll.

Post time for Friday’s sixth race is 2:47.