Wolfie’s Dynaghost flew home in the Fort Lauderdale and stamped his ticket to the Pegasus World Cup Turf

At seven, the Woodslane Farm millionaire shattered records at Gulfstream Park and confirmed that he is operating at the very peak of his career

Approaching his 8-year-old campaign, the hard-knocking Wolfie’s Dynaghost remains a force to be reckoned with / ADAM COGLIANESE

HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida (Special to Turf Diario).- HALLANDALE BEACH, FL — At age seven, a stage where many are eyeing retirement, Wolfie’s Dynaghost(Ghostzapper) is arguably in the form of his life. The Woodslane Farm homebred delivered a career-defining performance at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, repelling all challengers to capture the GIII Fort Lauderdale S. in historic fashion—shattering track and North American records while punching his ticket to the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.

The 1 1/8-mile turf test for 3-year-olds and up served as a centerpiece of Pegasus Preview Day, an afternoon featuring five stakes and $750,000 in total purses. The gelding once again proved his elite standing, dictating the tempo from the jump and digging deep when called upon to neutralize a late bid from the ever-dangerous Cugino (Twirling Candy).

Under a masterful ride by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the Brian Lynch trainee stopped the clock in a blistering 1:43.42 over the firm turf. The clocking decimated the previous track record of 1:44.45 set by Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the 2024 Pegasus Turf. More impressively, it established a new North American record for nine furlongs on the grass, eclipsing the 1:43.92 mark set by Kostroma (Ire) (Caerleon) in 1991—all while carrying the 126-pound highweight.

Favored at 4-5, Wolfie’s Dynaghost broke cleanly from post two and was allowed to roll through taxing splits of :22.34 and :45.84. Despite constant pressure, the bay remained composed into the lane. When Cugino launched a serious outside rally in deep stretch, Wolfie’s Dynaghost found another gear, asserting his dominance to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

“To see an older horse get to this point and keep improving is a beautiful thing,” said Lynch, who confirmed the Jan. 24 Pegasus Turf as the next target. The victory was the third straight for the veteran, marking his 14th career win (10th stakes, third graded) and pushing his bankroll past $1.3 million. He entered Saturday’s test fresh off a win in the GIII River City S. at Churchill Downs.

The afternoon also marked a historic milestone for Irad Ortiz, Jr., who extended his own single-season earnings record to become the first jockey to surpass the $40-million mark. “We’re going to keep working and finish the year strong,” Ortiz noted after the race.

The Fort Lauderdale has long served as the definitive steppingstone to the Pegasus, and Wolfie’s Dynaghost, with his veteran savvy and record-breaking flair, has earned the right to dream big for the winter’s main event.