v headlines the field for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), a race that lost a bit of luster with neither Bob Baffert’s Imagination nor $12 million earner Senor Buscador among the expected entries.
Mystik Dan. G. Sonny Hughes/Coglianese Photo.
The 2024 Derby winner is 8-1 on the Pegasus World Cup morning line
Mystik Dan, trained by Kenny McPeek, was last seen finishing sixth in the Malibu Stakes (G1) on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita after a seven-month layoff. After his Derby win, he was second in the Preakness (G2) and eighth in the Belmont Stakes (G1) in June.
The Derby winner drew the No. 9 post in a field of 12 going 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park and is the fourth betting choice at 8-1 on the morning line.
The post-position draw for Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup as well as the World Cup Turf (G1) and the World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2) was held Sunday at Gulftsream.
Locked, one of two entries for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, is the 5-2 favorite despite an unfavorable post 11. The now 4-year-old colt missed the 2024 Triple Crown season after running third in the ‘23 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). He returned late last year with a pair of impressive wins, including the Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct in December.
Locked. NYRA/Coglianese Photo.
“He’s a horse that we always felt would be better going longer, so we’re looking forward to getting him out to a mile and an eighth for the first time,” Pletcher said. “He’s been training really, really well so we’re excited about it.”
Pletcher also sends out Crupi (15-1), who finished third in last year’s Pegasus World Cup. Luis Saez has the call from post 5.
Despite the absence of Imagination and Senor Buscador, the field still includes a slew of Grade 1 winners, including 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner White Abarrio, trained again by Saffie Joseph, Jr. The 6-year-old is the 3-1 second choice leaving from post 4 under Irad Ortiz, Jr. Joseph also entered Grade 2 winner Skippylongstocking (10-1).
Power Squeeze, at 30-1, will be just the second filly to run in the Pegasus World Cup. Trained by Jose Delgado, the 4-year-old won the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga last summer and comes in off a neck loss in the Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream last month.
Other Grade 1 winners are 10-1 Mixto (Pacific Classic), 9-2 Saudi Crown (Pennsylvania Derby), and Stronghold (Santa Anita Derby) winner. Newgrange (20-1), a multiple Grade 2 winner is now trained by Jose D’Angelo after running mostly out West for Phil D’Amato.
Baffert considered sending Imagination to South Florida for the race he’s already won three times in eight editions but decided to stay home. Senor Buscador, a world traveler with a victory in the 2024 Saudi Cup (G1) on his resume, was expected to enter as well.
Replacing them are a pair of long shots, 30-1 Steal Sunshine and 50-1 Vitality, both moved up from the reserve list.
Mystik Dan will be the second Derby winner to run in the Pegasus World Cup. California Chrome, the 2016 Derby and Preakness winner, ran ninth in the first World Cup in 2017.
“Some horses go from being a good 3-year-old to a good older horse, and that’s a challenge,” McPeek said of Mystik Dan. “Will he transcend from a very good 3-year-old to a very good 4-year-old? … Hopefully, he comes back and proves himself as an older horse.”
The Pegasus is one of seven graded races and 10 stakes overall with purses totaling $5.5 million.
The field for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), from the rail out, with jockey, trainer, odds:
1 Mixto (Frankie Dettori, Doug O’Neill), 10-1
2 Saudi Crown (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox), 9-2
3 Newgrange (Kazushi Kimura, Jose D’Angelo), 20-1
4 White Abarrio (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 3-1
5 Crupi (Luis Saez, Todd Pletcher), 15-1
6 Stronghold (Antonio Fresu, Phil D’Amato), 10-1
7 Steal Showcase (Dylan Davis, Bobby Dibona), 30-1
8 Vitality (Rajiv Maragh, Harold Ladouceur), 50-1
9 Mystik Dan (Brain Hernandez, Jr., Kenny McPeek), 8-1
10 Skippylongstocking (Tyler Gaffalione, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 10-1
11 Locked (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher), 5-2
12 Power Squeeze (Javier Castellano, Jorge Delgado), 30-1