Aside from a lack of star power, the Pegasus World Cup and Pegasus World Cup Turf have everything you would need in Grade 1 stakes races. The areas are complete, with overmatched entrants few and far between, and lots of grist to operate through the chainsaw mill. Aside from the excellent, attractive Pegasus card in Gulfstream, there is the very first Saturday of racing at Oaklawn Park, which means that the American winter season is warming up.
Handicapping the Pegasus World Cup 2021
2021 Pegasus World Cup Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Knicks Go Odds: 7-4
The morning line favourite, Maryland-bred Knicks Go comes to the Pegasus on a three-race winning streak, including an impressive score in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He not only won that race, but set the Keeneland track record for one mile in the process.
He prepped for that run with a pair of allowance-level wins where he crushed two fields by a combined 17 lengths. He’s been off since the BC Mile in early November, and now stretches out an extra 1/8 of a mile.
He’s trained by Brad Cox, while regular rider Joel Rosario will be back in the saddle.
RELATED: Pegasus World Cup Past Performances
2021 Pegasus World Cup Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Tax Race Odds: 5-1
A Kentucky Derby contender back in 2019, Tax dealt with injury issues and only ran three times in 2020. The first of those was this very race, where he finished a disappointing ninth, and followed that with a fifth-place finish in the (G2) Oaklawn Handicap in May.
He showed signs of coming back around last out when he won the (G3) Harlan’s Holiday Stakes with ease at Gulfstream in late December.
He’s a Danny Gargan trainee, Luis Saez gets the call to ride.
RELATED: 2021 Pegasus World Cup: Date, Odds And Favorites
2021 Pegasus World Cup Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Code Of Honor Race Odds: 11-2
The Kentucky Derby runner-up two years ago, Code Of Honor rarely runs a bad race and has been in the money in 12 of his 15 lifetime starts, with six wins.
He goes into the Pegasus off back-to-back runner up efforts in the (G1) Clark Stakes and (G2) Kelso Handicap, the first of those at the Pegasus’ 1 1/8 mile distance. Despite his solid numbers, he’s looking for his first win since June.
Shug McGaugey is the trainer, while Tyler Gaffalione will be in the irons.
RELATED: Eddie Mac’s Book: Good Idea To Go With The Favorites On Pegasus Day 2021
2021 Pegasus World Cup Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Jesus’ Team Race Odds: 10-1
After starting 2020 way down in the claiming ranks, Jesus’ Team made steady improvement throughout 2020. He showed he belongs at this level with a third-place finish in the (G1) Preakness Stakes and a surprise second in the BC Dirt Mile at odds of 61-1.
He prepped for the Pegasus by winning the Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes at Gulfstream back in early December and now steps back up in class to tackle this field.
RELATED: Pegasus World Cup Odds: Knicks Go Made Slight 5-2 Favorite In $3 Million Pegasus World Cup
He’s trained by Jose D’Angelo. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. won the Pegasus last year.
Miriam Lee has always been a horse racing fan thanks to trips to the tracks in her home state of Maryland with her father as kid. She owns an OTTB and is an advocate for promoting the sport among her peers. Miriam studies communication arts at Hood College and will receive her master’s degree in 2021, which she plans to use for a career in screenwriting. Her all-time favorite racehorse is Man O War.
