Rocket Can wins the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) Dec. 21 at Gulfstream Park (Lauren King)
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Just moments after saddling Rocket Can to victory last month in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Park, a race considered a prep for Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), trainer Bill Mott was asked if he’d consider running the 5-year-old in the $3 million event.
“I guess we’d have to consider it,” Mott said.
Rocket Can, winner of the 2023 Holy Bull (G3), is indeed entered Saturday on Pegasus World Cup Day. But the son of Into Mischief will be running a mile in the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3), one of seven graded stakes and 10 stakes overall on the Pegasus program.
“We thought about it,” said Mott of running in the Pegasus. “He likes the track. I think a mile, 1 1/16 mile, is good but I’m not sure about the [Pegasus] nine furlongs, and the [Pegasus] has come up a pretty tough race.”
After finishing second in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and ninth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) as a 3-year-old, Rocket Can went to the sidelines before returning last year in March. Under allowance optional claiming conditions, he won at Oaklawn and finished second at Saratoga and Aqueduct. Before winning the Harlan’s Holiday he was ninth in the Cherokee Mile at Churchill Downs. His three starts at Gulfstream have resulted in two of his four victories.
Rocket Can’s owner, Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, Inc., has “done well,” Mott said, racing at Gulfstream over the past few years. Along with Rocket Can’s two victories, Fletcher’s Frank’s Rocket won the Sugar Swirl (G3) here in 2022 and Hurricane Bertie (G3) 2023.
Junior Alvarado rides Rocket Can.
Wathnan Racing’s Tumbarumba enters as the Hooper’s defending champion. The 5-year-old is winless in six races since winning last year’s Hooper, but the Brian Lynch-trained son of Oscar Performance has been game finishing second in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), Ghostzapper (G3) and Harlan’s Holiday, second in the Ack Ack (G3) at Churchill Downs, and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
Tyler Gaffalione rides Tumbarumba.
Victoria Ranch’s Little Vic was third Dec. 28 in the Mr. Prospector (G3) behind Mufasa and White Abarrio and fourth in October in the Bold Ruler (G3). The 6-year-old, winner of the Tom Fool (G3) in 2023, has seven wins in 25 starts and has raced at nine different tracks.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has entered the 4-year-old gelding Upstanding, who broke his maiden in his fifth attempt Dec. 22 at a mile over this track by nine lengths. A $400,000 son of Curlin, Upstanding has improved in each of his starts. Luis Saez rides.
Gulfstream’s leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. saddles Implementation, ninth in the Turf Sprint at Aqueduct in November, and Cape Trafalgar, fourth in the Harlan’s Holiday. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Cape Trafalgar and Jose Ortiz rides Implementation.
Northern Flame goes out for the first time since finishing third in the Iowa Derby in July, and also first time for trainer Bruno Tessore. Bourbon Resolve enters off a win at Churchill Downs in December. Instant Coffee was fourth last time out in the Queens County at Aqueduct.
