(Crupi / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Gulfstream Park Media Team:

Formidable Man, Dona Clota School for Pegasus Turf Races
Fort Washington, In Our Time, De Regreso Make Pegasus Fields
Thursday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $450,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Millionaire Crupi and fellow Grade 1-winning stablemate Locked each schooled Wednesday ahead of their scheduled start in Saturday’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher was present on a cool, misty afternoon to oversee Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Crupi and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm’s Locked go through their paces in the saddling area and walking ring during Race 6.

“We wanted to cover all the bases. They had to be on the grounds today, so it was an opportunity to give them some paddock school experience,” Pletcher said. “They seem to be taking it all in stride and well composed. I’m happy with the way they shipped over.”

Both Crupi, a rallying third in last year’s Pegasus World Cup, and Locked have been training for the race at Pletcher’s South Florida base of Palm Beach Downs. Crupi will break from Post 5 in a field of 12 while Locked, the narrow 5-2 program favorite over White Abarrio (3-1), drew Post 11.

“We’re very happy with both of them,” Pletcher said. “It wasn’t an ideal draw for Locked but hopefully he can work out a trip from there.”

At the same time, Pletcher’s former assistant, Southern California-based trainer Michael McCarthy, watched Formidable Man – last out winner of the Hollywood Derby (G1) – school ahead of the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) presented by Qatar Racing.

Two-time Chilean Group 1 winner Dona Clota also schooled in the walking ring during Race 2 for the $500,000 TAA Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2) presented by SirDavis American Whiskey.

While the Pegasus World Cup lineup remains unchanged, there was some movement Wednesday in its companion races. Siege of Boston, who drew Post 1, was withdrawn from the Pegasus Turf, replaced by first alternate Fort Washington.

Grade 3 winner Fort Washington gives Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey a third starter in the Pegasus Turf, along with Integration and Battle of Normandy. Fort Washington has one second and three thirds in five tries at Gulfstream, beaten less than a length in three of those starts, including a neck loss in the Dec. 21 Fort Lauderdale (G2).

In the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf, In Our Time and De Regreso – respectively second and third in Gulfstream’s Tropical Park Oaks Dec. 14 – moved into the body of the field following the defections of Ocean Club and See You Around.

Thursday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $450,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have an estimated pool of $450,000 when racing resumes with Thursday at Gulfstream Park.

Thursday’s sequence spans Races 4-9 and begins with a claiming event for 3-year-old maiden fillies scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the grass. Camm’s Princess stretches out after running second in back-to-back starts sprinting 7 ½ furlongs on the turf at a similar level Dec. 20 and Jan. 8.

Race 6 is a six-furlong allowance for Florida-bred 3-year-olds where Neoequos, an impressive maiden winner last summer at Gulfstream, makes his season debut following successive runner-up finishes behind Rated by Merit in the FSS Dr. Fager and FSS Affirmed last fall. Joey Muscles drops out of four consecutive stakes tries including a third in the mid-August Proud Man.

The co-feature comes in Race 7, an optional claiming allowance for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather Tapeta course. Street Earnings is set to make his season debut after running first or second in his last four starts at 3. The 5-year-old Rotterdam will make his second start for trainer Jose D’Angelo, having won a turf claimer at the distance Dec. 20.

In the Race 9 finale, an optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 4 and up scheduled for five furlongs on the turf, Hot Cargo chases her fifth win and first off a $32,000 claim for trainer Martin Drexler. Creed’s Gold will be making her first start since finishing third in the Alywow last June at Woodbine.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 is scheduled for Sunday. On mandatory days, the entire jackpot pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors holding tickets with the most winners.

Who’s Hot: Jockey Edgar Perez rode back-to-back winners Wednesday, Both Sides ($14.20) in Race 2 and Corona Princess ($9) in Race 3 … Edwin Gonzalez swept the late daily double with Dear Dad ($7.60) in Race 8 and Ponant ($10.20) in Race 9.