Trainer Brad Cox confirmed today that LEOFRIC, winner of the G1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in his most recent start, has been withdrawn from consideration for the Jan. 26 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream because of a nagging quarter crack. The 6-year-old horse had two breezes at his Fair Grounds base following the Nov. 23 Clark, but Cox had to stop on him recently.

"It's something he's battled off and on since I've had him the last couple of years," said Cox. "We really wanted to run, but that's the way this game can go sometimes. We'll regroup with him, maybe shoot for the Razorback (in March at Oaklawn Park), bring him back when he's good again."

The defection of Leofric, owned by Steve Landers, means Gulfstream now has a working list of 11 candidates for the $9 million Pegasus, which does not include McKINZIE, the recent winner of the G1 Malibu. Gulf officials are intending to discuss with Bob Baffert the possibility of him sending McKinzie from California for the 1 1/8-mile race.

In alphabetical order, these are the 11 confirmed to date for the Pegasus:

ACCELERATE, AUDIBLE, BRAVAZO, CITY OF LIGHT, GUNNEVERA, KUKULKAN, PATTERNRECOGNITION, SEEKING THE SOUL, SOMETHING AWESOME, TOM'S D'ETAT, TRUE TIMBER.