Other than pout for a little bit, there’s not much than can be done when you are ready to single a horse like Omaha Beach in Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup Invitational. It’s back to the drawing board.

Who gets it done now that Omaha Beach (and Spun to Run, as well) are out of the $3 million invite? That’s not an easy question, and the answer here would come from five horses on the ticket. Omaha Beach’s lone spot on the suggested ticket ($75) has been replaced by Tax, Diamond Oops, Higher Power, Mucho Gusto and Tenfold.

The World Cup Invitiational and the World Cup Turf Invitational will be the most competitive on the card. The Turf event is down to five spots on the suggested Pick 4 ticket with Zulu Alpha, Without Parole, Sadler’s Joy, Instilled Regard and Magic Wand.

After the defection of Omaha Beach and Spun to Run, the featured event is free-for-all, and Diamond Oops could be the one to beat if he can stretch his game to 1 1-8th miles. That’s asking plenty, but it cannot be denied that Diamond Oops comes off a terrific win in the G3 Mr Prospector. Lasting Legacy was second and Imperial Hint was third. This was no easy task, and he finished the seven furlongs in a blistering 1:21 1-5. He’s never been today’s distance and his best going two turns was a second on the turf in the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland, and he was eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (when Spun to Run and Omaha Beach were 1-2).

If Diamond Oops doesn’t take to the distance, Tax, Higher Power and Mucho Gusto will be close, and if the pace is ultra-rapid Tenfold could make a run.

In the race prior, the accomplished mare Magic Wand takes on males in the turf. She comes in from Hong Kong, where she lost the G1 Hong Kong Cup by a nose to Win Bright. She won the G1 MacKinnon at Flemington in Australia and has been effect on several continents. This is her first North American appearance and she’s excelled against the boys. Only one of her last 10 races was against fillies and mares, and she was second to Iridessa in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh.

Here’s the suggested late Pick 4 play:
Race 9) #5 Blamed, #7 Spiced Perfection, #11 Pink Sands. 
Race 10) #1 Red Knight, #8 Pumpkin Rumble.
Race 11) #1 Zulu Alpha, #3 Without Parole, #4 Sadler’s Joy, #6 Instilled Regard, #12 Magic Wand
Race 12) #2 Tax, #3 Diamond Oops, #6 Higher Power, #10 Mucho Gusto, #11 Tenfold.
50-cent Pick 4 ticket: 5-7-11 with 1-8 with 1-3-4-6-12 with 2-3-6-10-11 ($75).