Reigning Pegasus World Cup champion Mucho Gusto retired after training injury

Pegasus World Cup winner Mucho Gusto has been retired after sustaining a soft tissue injury during his preparation for this year’s $3 million contest.

Trained by Bob Baffert for Saudi owner Prince Faisal bin Khaled, Mucho Gusto was 7-1 joint-second favourite for the 1m1f event at Gulfstream Park, which is due to take place on January 23.

“He galloped this morning, and afterwards we noticed some heat in the pastern,” Baffert said on Tuesday. “Ultrasound showed a small issue in the ligament in the pastern area.

“With soft tissue problems like this it takes months of rest and you don't know if they're going to be the same when they come back. The good thing is we caught it early.”

The four-year-old had also been under consideration for the world’s richest race, the $20m Saudi Cup, in which he finished a gallant fourth last season.

Mucho Gusto was a four-time Grade 3 winner alongside his success in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup last year. In total, he won six of his 13 starts and was placed a further four times for total prize-money of $3,953,800 (£2.9m/€3.2m). No stud deal has been announced.

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