Battle of Normandy scoring the River City at Churchill Downs. (Renee Torbit/Coady Media)
> Joseph-Trained Trio Making Pegasus Turf Audition Saturday
> Trainer Jose D’Angelo Gearing Up for Busy Winter
Gulfstream Park News & Notes
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Graded-stakes winning stablemates Battle of Normandy, riding a four-race win streak, and millionaire Integration remain on target for a potential start in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.
Both horses, owned in partnership by West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, have been training at Payson Park for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, who also maintains a string at Gulfstream.
Integration, who became a millionaire for his two-length triumph in the Nov. 9 Red Smith (G2) at Aqueduct in his most recent start, breezed three furlongs in 37 seconds Dec. 12. Battle of Normandy, exiting a victory in the River City (G3) the same day at Churchill Downs, has worked twice including a half-mile move in 49.60 seconds Dec. 16.
“They both are doing well at Payson,” West Point executive vice president Tom Bellhouse said. “Shug is tentatively looking at both for the Pegasus Turf. As we get closer, I think we’ll get a better read. That would be exciting. We’re only five weeks out, but I think the plan would be that both of them would work going forward and if all goes as we hope, we’ll run both.”
The 4-year-old Integration has won five of 10 career starts including the Hill Prince (G2) and Virginia Derby (G3) last year and ran fifth – beaten a total of two lengths – in the 2024 Pegasus Turf. Battle of Normandy, also 4, has never raced at Gulfstream and is 5-for-13 lifetime, the River City marking his first stakes success.
“The Gulfstream turf course can play a little bit speed favoring and that wouldn’t be a concern at all because he has the tactical speed,” Bellhouse said of Battle of Normandy “Their styles actually complement each other a little. Not that Integration has to be that far back, but Battle of Normandy is probably going to be in that forward quadrant.”
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Battle of Normandy’s 3-year-old half-brother Cugino, also out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Adorable Miss, gave West Point and McGaughey their first wins of the 2024-2025 Championship Meet in the Dec. 14 Tropical Park Derby. The Pegasus has not been ruled out for Cugino, who had run second in the Nov. 9 Hill Prince (G3) at Aqueduct.
“The race in New York when he finished second, [jockey Flavien] Prat said he kind of fell asleep a little bit on him in the race so when he asked him, he didn’t jump into the bridle,” Bellhouse said. “At least in this last race I think Irad [Ortiz Jr.] had him warmed up good and he saved all the ground so when the hole opened, he just exploded. It was a brilliant ride, but the horse really came through. I think Shug’s probably going to give him a couple months and then come back with a big 4-year-old campaign.”
West Point also has 3-year-old colt Carson’s Run, a Grade 1 winner on turf in this summer’s Saratoga Derby Invitational, with trainer Christophe Clement, who also winters at Payson Park.
“The great thing for us right now is between Cugino, Carson’s Run with Clement and then Battle of Normandy and Integration, these are all serious grass horses and [2025] should be a fun year for us.”
Joseph-Trained Trio Making Pegasus Turf Audition Saturday
Three-time defending Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who has White Abarrio and Skippylongstocking pointed to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1), could also have a contender or two for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1).
Joseph entered the trio of multiple graded-stakes placed Cash Equity, Saratoga Flash and Brazilian Group 3 winner Lorenz in Saturday’s $215,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2) for 3-year-olds and up, Gulfstream Park’s 1 1/8-mile prep for the Pegasus Turf Jan. 25.
“I think Cash Equity is the only one that has that kind of class, but if any of them were to jump up and run big then you would definitely consider it,” Joseph said. “It’s a trial for them. It’s an exhibition to see if they’re good enough.”
Ken Ramsey’s Cash Equity, rated at 9-2 on the morning line, drew the rail in a field of nine for his 33rd career start and 11th since being claimed for $80,000 last fall at Santa Anita. He is winless in nine tries this year with four seconds including the March 2 Barbados Gold Cup and Sept. 7 Mint Millions (G3) at Kentucky Downs, and two thirds. He was fourth as the favorite, beaten three lengths, last out in the 1 1/8-mile River City (G3) Nov. 9.
“He’s a horse that seems to run decent enough each time but never win, though he’s picked up some big checks,” Joseph said. “A mile and an eighth is probably the perfect distance. He’s drawn well. Maybe he cannot be as far back this time and hopefully he can break through and get the win. I think he’ll like the firmer turf at Gulfstream because he ran well at Kentucky Downs. It’s a different course but it’s a very firm turf also.”
Dailey Double Racing’s Saratoga Flash has won seven of 27 lifetime starts and exits a front-running two-length optional claiming allowance triumph going 1 1/16 miles Oct. 18 at Gulfstream. The 6-year-old New York-bred has placed twice in stakes, both at Gulfstream, finishing second by a head in the one-mile Appleton March 30 and a nose in last spring’s 1 1/16-mile Mr. Steele.
“He lost form this summer for us,” Joseph said. “We just couldn’t get him on the right track. We used that last race to build him back up. I thought he won well. Now he’s going a mile and an eighth. A mile and an eighth is probably a bit on the far side for him but he’s doing well since his last race.”
Daniel Alonso’s Lorenz takes a two-race win streak into the Fort Lauderdale. Bred in Brazil, he has put together a record of 2-3-2 in seven races this year after having gone more than 13 months between starts until his Feb. 4 return at Gulfstream. He captured the one-mile Mambo Meister overnight handicap by a head and followed up with a 1 ½-length score in the 1 1/8-mile Remington Green Sept. 29 at Remington Park. Both wins came with the addition of blinkers.
“The blinkers really picked him up,” Joseph said. “We put the blinkers on him and he won that overnight handicap here at Gulfstream. There was a race at Remington, we were sending another horse and we decided to send him and give him a try and he won there also. He behaved poorly in the post parade actually, so for him to still win that day was impressive.”
Trainer Jose D’Angelo Gearing Up for Busy Winter
Trainer Jose D’Angelo will have a lot going on over the next several weeks.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) runner-up Bentornato has shipped to California to run in the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26. He’s also considering two promising colts for the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man on Jan. 4 in Guns Loaded and McKellen.
Guns Loaded, an $800,000 yearling owned by Lady Sheila Stable, Joey Platts and Morplay Racing LLC, was second in his debut at Saratoga Aug. 31 behind Dapper Moon before breaking his maiden at Churchill Downs Nov. 16.
McKellan, a $50,000 yearling owned by Leon King Stable Corp., broke his maiden at Gulfstream Oct. 19 before finishing second in an allowance optional claimer at Churchill Nov. 30 behind Disco Time, who is undefeated in two starts for owner Juddmonte and trainer Brad Cox.
“The two horses are doing very good,” D’Angelo said. “I have to decide which is going where after they work.”
Meanwhile, Aristocrat Franklin-Simpson (G1) winner Howard Wolowitz, a winner Dec. 14 in the Holiday Cheer at Turfway Park, has been penciled in for the $2 million Saudi Turf Sprint come February.
“He came out of the race good,” D’Angelo said. “He trotted the next day, everything was excellent.”
