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2022 Pegasus World Cup: Commandeer

In the days leading up to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, usracing.com is publishing profiles of the horses in the race set for Saturday, Jan. 29.

By Ray Wallin

Commandeer – Palm Meadows Training Center – Photo courtesy of Dana Wimpfheimer / BloodHorse

This Godolphin bred gelding drew into the Pegasus field as the longest shot on the board for his first try against stakes company after clearing the non-winners of two hurdle in his last effort over a sloppy Churchill track.

All three of his wins have come against an early pace that has been contested and fallen apart. Commandeer has won his last two since coming off a four-month layoff.

A son of Street Boss, whose progeny typically top out at a mile and a sixteenth, does have a Tiznow influence on his dam’s side. This suggests that Commandeer should be able to handle the nine furlongs here.

Trainer Jimmy Toner has Commandeer at the top of his form. Since his last allowance win, he has notched five workouts over the Palm Meadows surface including a bullet work on Jan. 23, breezing 5 furlongs in 59.3 seconds in his final prep for the Pegasus.

Betting advice: While not a candidate to win, his best opportunity to be a factor here is if there is a hot and contested early pace between Knicks Go and Life Is Good. His late kick from off the pace should not be ignored for the bottom of your exotic wagers.

Post position: 9

Odds: 30-1

Jockey: Julien Leparoux

Trainer: Jimmy Toner

Owner: AJ Suited Racing Stable, LLC

Career record: 10-3-2-2

Career earnings: $142,114

Top Equibase speed figure: 99

Pedigree: Street Boss-Gozlan, by Tiznow

Age: 4

Color: Bay

Running style: Presser/stalker

Notes: Commandeer is Toner’s first Pegasus World Cup starter … Leparoux is the 10th jockey to ride this gelding, who is making his 11th career start at his seventh different track.

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