HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Steal Sunshine and Castle Chaos, both of whom could not quite escape the reserve list and draw into the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational, will hope to settle for a lesser prize when taking on 10 rivals, including likely favorite Hejazi, in Saturday’s $150,000 Fred W. Hooper at Gulfstream Park. Steal Sunshine was beaten just over two lengths by O’Connor and Grand Aspen when a wide-running fourth going 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday in his 2023 finale. Trainer Bobby Dibona is well aware both those horses will be among the 12 starters set to compete for the big money later in the card in the Pegasus. “I thought my horse ran great that day,” said Dibona. “He had the 10 hole and got hung wide. If he had a better post and was able to save some ground I don’t think either O’Connor or Grand Aspen would have beat him.” Steal Sunshine will be turning back to his preferred distance in the Grade 3 Hooper, having won four of seven career starts at a mile, including a conditioned allowance race by 4 3/4 lengths as a prep for the Harlan’s Holiday. “This is his distance and the track he’s done his best work at,” said Dibona. “He’s doing wonderful and I think he’s sitting in a great spot to pull the upset if we get a little help with the pace. The faster they go, the better it is for me.” :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Castle Chaos, who is the first and only also-eligible for the Pegasus World Cup, is in peak form and right at home going a one-turn mile. The New York invader registered an impressive high-priced optional-claiming and allowance victory two starts back before finishing third behind another pair of Pegasus contenders, Hoist the Gold and Senor Buscador, in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile. “I thought he really ran well in the Cigar considering the track totally favored speed that day and the way he fought back to finish third after being passed in late stretch,” said his trainer, Robert Falcone Jr. Hejazi looms the horse to beat and one to catch in the Hooper, although he is a bit of a question mark stretching to a mile for the first time. Hejazi, a $3.55 million 2-year-old purchase, comes off a game effort in the Grade 1 Malibu when second best going seven furlongs behind Speed Boat Beach after engaging his Bob Baffert-trained stablemate in a near race-long pace duel. The outing was just the second for Hejazi following a seven-month layoff. “He ran well in the Malibu against Speed Boat Beach,” said Baffert, “and thought as long as I was going down there with the [National Treasure]  this would be a good spot for him, a one-turn mile, to slowly stretch him out and kind of set the tone for the rest of the year. He’s going to get better, he’s really maturing.  I’m not concerned at all about the mile. I’m more worried about the post.” Hejazi, who has yet to win beyond 6 1/2 furlongs, could get an early pace challenge from Expressman and Accretive, who exits a disappointing 10th-place finish in the Cigar Mile after a wide trip. The remainder of the field includes the Dale Romans pair of Cyclone Mischief and Giant Game, Grade 1-placed Gilmore, Dreaming of Kona, Great Navigator, Tumbarumba, and Signator. Inside Information The potential for a very competitive pace scenario could go a long way to helping the stretch-running Maryquitecontrary defend her title in the $200,000 Inside Information. The Grade 2 fixture for fillies and mares will be decided at seven furlongs. Maryquitecontrary rallied seven wide under regular rider Luca Panici to a decisive 2 1/2-length victory in the 2023 Inside Information. She dropped her next four starts, which included a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Princess Rooney before getting back on the winning track when rallying to a one-length decision to capture the one-mile Rampart for the second straight year here on Dec. 30. Maryquitecontrary, a Rodney G. Lundock homebred by First Dude, was transferred to trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. shortly after the Princess Rooney. “She came into the race [Rampart)] great, there were some question marks, and she didn’t let me down,” said Plesa, who is only five victories away from notching his 2,500th career win. “I thought Luca rode a very good race on her last time. I asked him if he could save a little more ground with her, he did so, and she responded 110 percent. And I’m anxious to run her back because I have even more confidence in her for this race than the last.” :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. There is no shortage of speed signed on for the Inside Information, including Music City Star, a wire-to-wire allowance winner earlier this month, California invader Sassy Nature, and Intrepid Daydream, one of two mares leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will send out along with Bluefield. Intrepid Daydream is exiting a game second-place finish as the 6-5 favorite while making her first start since being purchased privately and transferred to Joseph’s barn for the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl. “She ran close up and ran well [in the Sugar Swirl] and if she can run as equally good a race Saturday, she should be very competitive,” Joseph said of Intrepid Daysdream, who had a four-race win streak snapped in the six-furlong Sugar Swirl. “Watching her races from before we got her, I don’t think she necessarily needs the lead. I think she can be very effective just stalking the early leaders.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.