Gulfstream Park is gearing up for Pegasus World Cup Day, touted by track owner The Stronach Group as “South Florida’s leading luxury sports and lifestyle event of the year.”
True or not, the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) is the centerpiece on the Jan. 27 racing card, which also features the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2).
Art Collector – Photo Courtesy of NYRA.com
While betting on the races is what we’re most interested in, entertainment, fashion, and food play a huge part in the success of the event now in its eighth year.
Ticket prices range from $150 to $1,619, with many of the high-end VIP clubs, suites, and dining areas sold out. Grammy Award-winning DJ Calvin Harris provides the entertainment.
The Pegasus World Cup for 4-year-olds and up is run at 1 1/8 miles. Past winners include Arrogate (2017), Gun Runner (2018), and Knicks Go (2021). Last year, the winner was 33-1 longshot Art Collector.
A full 12-horse field is expected, with trainers Brad Cox, Todd Pletcher, and Saffie Joseph, Jr. looking at multiple entries. Bob Baffert, a two-time winner of the race (Arrogate, 2017; Mucho Gusto, 2020), is scheduled to enter 2023 Preakness (G1) winner National Treasure.
Cox, the nation’s leading trainer in 2023, has high hopes for 4-year-olds First Mission and Saudi Crown. First Mission won the Lexington (G3) last April and was nosed out by Trademark in the Clark (G2) in November. Saudi Crown won the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and finished the year with a subpar 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
“I think his style, going a mile and an eighth, he likes to be forward – not necessarily on the lead,” Cox said of the lightly raced First Mission. “I think Gulfstream is a place where you want to be somewhat forward. It’s not a long stretch, so I think his style should fit Gulfstream very well.
“It’s a competitive group of horses. With $3 million on the line, you’re going to have to do some running.”
Pegasus World Cup Contenders: National Treasure’s Quest for Redemption and Joseph’s Strong Lineup
National Treasure is 0-for-4 since his gate-to-wire Preakness win but dueled with Cody’s Wish in the stretch of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) only to be nosed out at the wire. The 4-year-old son of Quality Road worked 5 furlongs in 59.60 at Santa Anita on Jan. 13, the fastest of 44 at the distance.
Pletcher could have as many as three starters – Dynamic One, Grand Aspen, and Crupi (on the reserve list as of Jan. 13).
The 6-year-old Dynamic One won the Suburban (G2) in July, then ran sixth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and fifth in an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream last month. Grand Aspen, a 5-year-old, finished second in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream on Dec. 30 in his first stakes race after seven previous starts.
Joseph, based in south Florida, also has two contenders in O’Connor, winner of the Harlan’s Holiday, and Skippylongstocking, third in the BC Dirt Mile. Skippy was seventh, O’Connor 11th in the 2022 Pegasus World Cup. Joseph also trains Ny Traffic, who is on the reserve list.
Hoist the Gold, winner of the Cigar Mile (G2) a month after running sixth in the BC Sprint (G1), also appears Pegasus World Cup-bound for trainer Dallas Stewart. The added distance should not be a problem, but going two turns is the unknown factor, Stewart said. John Velazquez, aboard the past two races, has the call again.
Stewart said Velazquez encouraged him to go in the Pegasus World Cup: “He’ll go a mile and an eighth because he could not pull him up after the Cigar Mile. He could not stop the horse,’’ Stewart said. “The horse can go the distance. But it’s a little different going two turns. You’ve got to switch leads more. You’ve got to relax at some point. It isn’t just run, run, run like he did the other day.”
Current list of invitees
Dynamic One, Grand Aspen, Saudi Crown, First Mission, National Treasure, Skippylongstocking, O’Connor, Senor Buscador, Newgrange, Trademark, Hoist the Gold, Il Miracolo
Reserve list
Crupi, Ny Traffic, Red Route One, Wizard of Westwood, Nimitz Class, Castle Chaos, Steal Sunshine
Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Winners
Year, Horse, Age, Jockey, Trainer, $2 Win Bet
2023: Art Collector, 6, Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott, $33
2022: Life is Good, 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr., Todd Pletcher, $3.60
2021: Knicks Go, 5, Joel Rosario, Brad Cox, $4.60
2020: Mucho Gusto, 4, Irad Otiz, Jr., Bob Baffert, $8.80
2019: City of Light, 5, Javier Castellano, Michael McCarthy, $5.80
2018: Gun Runner, 5, Florent Geroux, Steve Asmussen, $4.20
2017: Arrogate, 4, Mike Smith, Bob Baffert, $3.80
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
