Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam returned from a nearly eight-month layoff Jan. 29 to capture the $1 Million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes presented by Baccarat (G1T) for the second consecutive year at Gulfstream Park.
The 5-year-old son of Liam's Map hadn't raced since finishing eighth June 5 in the 1 1/4-mile Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park. He then rested until returning to work in early December.
"He didn't lose a step, he came back like he was," jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said. "He's healthy. He felt very strong. He ran like he never left."
Colonel Liam was hand-timed covering the 1 1/8-mile race on firm turf in 1:47.48 after times initially posted by Gulfstream Park were inaccurate. No hand-timed fractions were posted on the Equibase chart. Numerous turf races at Gulfstream Park this winter have needed to be hand-timed as a corrective measure.
Stablemate Never Surprised, owned by Repole Stable, finished second after setting the early pace.
"I felt like Never Surprised would definitely be the pacesetter," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "When he drew post 12, it kind of forced (jockey) Luis (Saez) to commit to that.
"We kind of felt like Colonel Liam could get a good stalking position. He ended up being a little closer than I thought he would be but I think he was right where Irad wanted him to be."
Never Surprised broke and was hustled to the front by Saez. The leader then was pressed by Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) winner Doswell, owned by Joseph Allen, through six furlongs.
The 8-5 favorite, Colonel Liam tracked the pace in fourth and then third.
Colonel Liam advanced three deep around the far turn and then took the lead nearing the eighth pole. The gray horse drew clear under Ortiz's steady left-handed urging.
Saez lost his whip in the upper stretch, but Never Surprised, a 4-year-old son of Constitution , fought hard inside the leader and held on for second, one length behind Colonel Liam.
Clipper Logistics' Space Traveller, ridden by Jamie Spencer, was half-length back in third and a neck ahead of Jordan Wycoff's Atone, under Javier Castellano.
Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border and rider Reylu Gutierrez finished fifth.
Colonel Liam triumphed after eight works following his arrival to Pletcher's South Florida training facility at Palm Beach Downs.
"You just hope you've done enough with him. He has talent," Pletcher said. "We needed everything to go exactly as planned. We didn't have time for a prep race. We put all of our chips in this race. I'm glad it worked out."
Colonel Liam, a $1.2 million purchase from Wavertree Stables' consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in 2019, improved to 7-0-1 in 10 starts.
"It's very special," Low said of winning the race for a second straight year. "I've gotta thank my good friend Mike Repole, who had the horse way outside, the speed horse. I thank you for going out and setting that hot pace. It was the perfect setup for us."
It marked the second straight year that Pletcher ran 1-2. Colonel Liam rallied to edge stablemate Largent by a neck in last year's Pegasus Turf. He followed that by winning the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. He then finished in a dead heat for first with Domestic Spending in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs.
Neither previous Pegasus Turf winner—subsequent 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar or Zulu Alpha (2020)— returned for a title defense.
Asked if Colonial Liam might return for a three-peat, Low said: "I don't know. He may want to be a daddy."
Pletcher trained Colonial Liam's sire to multiple grade 1 wins on dirt. The trainer has said Colonel Liam might be able to run well on dirt like his sire.
"He's always trained really well on the dirt," Pletcher said.
Colonel Liam is the first stakes winner from seven foals out of the unraced Bernardini mare Amazement and one of her two winners overall. The dam also has an unnamed 2-year-old Arrogate colt and an unnamed yearling colt by Copper Bullet . Colonel Liam's second dam is grade 1 turf winner and millionaire Wonder Again.
Never Surprised was coming off a victory in the 1 1/16-mile Tropical Park Derby Dec. 26 at Gulfstream. That was the same race Colonel Liam won in his prep for last year's Pegasus.
Never Surprised never has finished worse than second in eight career starts (5-3-0). He won the 2020 Central Park Stakes in his second outing and was runner-up in the 2021 Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream, the Saranac Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course, and the Hill Prince Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park.
"They're both very, very talented horses," Pletcher said of his Pegasus Turf duo. "There are a lot of great opportunities for both of them."
