HALLANDALE BEACH - Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday that Calumet Farm’s Bravazo, third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and second in the Preakness Stakes, is being pointed toward the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Saturday, Jan 26 at Gulfstream Park.

     “That’s surely where we’re headed if everything goes well,” Lukas said.

     Bravazo, who finished second in the Gr. I Clark Handicap on Nov. 23, has raced in eight consecutive Gr. 1 events at six tracks and is the only horse other than Justify this year to compete in all three Triple Crown races.

     “We’ve got a window of about seven weeks so we’ll get him in a work pattern,” Lukas said. “We did ship him to Arkansas where he’s getting a week to just take it easy. We’ll start picking up a work tab schedule in mid-December. He’s really done well. He’s fit, his weight is excellent. He’s run eight straight Grade 1’s and a lot of people would think he would taper off but he seems to only have gotten better. He’s a picture of consistency.”

     Lukas said his first inclination would be to ship Bravazo to Gulfstream a week before the race. “I don’t think we’ll come in right on top of it,” he said.

     A winner of 14 Triple Crown events, Lukas said he supports the Pegasus Championship Invitational Series, which for the first time will include a $7 million turf event.

    “I think it's a significant development in the big picture of racing,” he said. “One of the things we’ve struggled with in thoroughbred racing is keeping superstars on the track. I think this is a step in the right direction. Any time you start the season with a $9 million race . . . it better be on your radar.”

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