2024 Pegasus World Cup Contender: Hoist the Gold

The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is Saturday (Jan. 27) at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/8-mile race is for 4-year-olds and up. usracing.com is publishing profiles of all the contenders.

HOIST THE GOLD

Talk about your late bloomer.

After a 1-for-6 campaign as a 2-year-old in 2021, Hoist the Gold began 2022 with a win in an allowance optional claimer. Then came a 13-race losing streak that lasted until July 1, 2023, with a victory in another allowance optional claimer at Ellis Park.

Since then, Hoist the Gold has shown promise with a pair of Grade 2 wins in his last three starts – the 6-furlong Phoenix at Keeneland on Oct. 6 and the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Dec. 2 (his first win at more than 7 furlongs).

Now, the Dallas Stewart-trained son of Mineshaft is looking to move on to a longer distance (1 1/8 miles) and a first Grade 1 victory. Stewart took the advice of John Velazquez, who was aboard when Hoist the Gold ran sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on Nov. 5.

“Johnny picked the right race for us,” Stewart said after the Hall of Famer guided Hoist to Gold to a commanding win in the Cigar Mile over a muddy track. “He told us at Breeders’ Cup the horse doesn’t like dirt in his face. He said, ‘Just let me ride him the way I want — run him a mile at Aqueduct and he won’t get beat.’ He was 100% right.”

We can look for Velazquez to hustle Hoist the Gold out of the gate in the Pegasus World Cup and move to the front where he’ll likely be running with 9-5 favorite National Treasure.

2024 Pegasus World Cup Contender: Hoist the Gold

Betting advice: Hard to see a top 3 finish for a horse who hadn’t won at more than 7 furlongs until the Cigar Mile.

Post position: 4

Odds: 12/1

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Dallas Stewart

Owner: Dream Team One Racing Stables

Age: 5

Career record: 26-5-6-3

Career earnings: $1,119,547

Most recent race: Cigar Mile (G2), Aqueduct, Dec. 2, won

Top Equibase speed figure: 117

Pedigree: Mineshaft-Tacit Approval, by Tapit

Color: Bay

Running style: Front-runner

Notes: Well-traveled Hoist the Gold has 26 career starts at 11 different tracks. This will be his first start at Gulfstream Park … Hoist the Gold has earned more than $1.1 million for James Culver’s Dream Team One Racing Stable … Worked 5 furlongs in 59.40 at the Fair Grounds on Jan. 18, the fastest of 11 at the distance.