Kentucky-bred Life Is Good, impressive front-running winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his last start, gets his 2022 campaign under way in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 29.

Owned by WinStar Farm and CHC Inc., Life Is Good, who is just a neck away from being undefeated in six lifetime starts, will break from post position four in the marquee race and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. A dominating 5 ¾-length winner of the Dirt Mile at Del Mar for trainer Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good also won last year’s Kelso H. (G2) at Belmont Park and the San Felipe S. (G2) at Santa Anita by eight lengths in 2021.

Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West Stable and a $525,000 Keeneland September sale acquisition, Life Is Good is a 4-year-old son of Into Mischief and is produced from the Distorted Humor mare Beach Walk. The handsome bay colt is a winner in five of six starts and has bankrolled $1,059,200.

Additional Kentucky-breds in the Pegasus field are Stilleto Boy (owned by Steve Moger and bred by Jon and Iveta Kerber); Empty Tomb (owned by John Grossis Racing Corp. and bred by WinStar Farm); Sir Winston (owned and bred by Tracy Farmer); Title Ready (owned and bred by Charlies Fipke); Endorsed (owned by Mark Breed and bred by Godolphin), and Commandeer (owned by AJ Suited Racing Stable and bred by Godolphin).

“You’ve got two super talented horses (Life is Good and Knicks Go) with similar running styles, so it makes for a very exciting race,” said Pletcher. “It’s going to be very exciting to see how the pace unfolds. Speed is our horse’s weapon and we’re not looking to take it away from him, and I’m sure the Knicks Go team knows what works for their horse. We’ll just see how it plays out.”

Headlining the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) is defending champion Colonel Liam. The Kentucky-bred 5-year-old, owned by Robert and Lawana Low, is a son of Liam’s Map. Also trained by Pletcher, Colonel Liam has won six of nine outings and earned $1,279,565. Phillips Racing Partnership bred the accomplished gray 5-year-old out of the Bernardini mare Amazement.

“It would be awesome,” Pletcher said of back-to-back Pegasus Turf victories for his charge. “We feel good about everything going into it. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed for a good trip and, hopefully, he can come with another big effort.”