Pentathlon Earns First Stakes Victory in the Army Mule

By B. Jason Brooks

Phipps Stable’s co-owned Pentathlon produced a powerful late run to earn his first stakes victory in Gulfstream Park’s $175,000 Army Mule Stakes on Saturday.

Ridden by Dylan Davis for Hall of Fame trainer Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey, the 5-year-old Speightstown horse rallied from off the pace to win by a half-length, completing seven furlongs over the fast main track in 1:23.11.

Breaking from post 2, Pentathlon settled along the rail as the leaders established quick opening fractions of 22.71 and 45.14 seconds. Mr. Davis guided him off the inside approaching the five-sixteenths pole and he began advancing three wide around the far turn.  He swung five wide entering the stretch before a sustained rally down the center of the track for the win. Pentathlon earned a 95 Beyer speed figure for the performance.

The victory was his second in as many starts this year after opening 2026 campaign with a dominant 5-length allowance optional claiming score at Tampa Bay Downs on February 15.

The Army Mule Stakes marked a breakthrough stakes success for Pentathlon, who finished fifth when making his graded stakes debut in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct in December.

The Phipps-bred is owned in partnership by Phipps Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Woodford Racing.

The victory was especially fitting for the ownership partnership since grade 1 winner Army Mule was owned by St. Elias Stable.

B. Jason Brooks is a Thoroughbred racing and pedigree researcher, writer, and social media manager residing in Saratoga Springs, New York. He can be followed on X at @bjbrooksNY.