Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream Park is the winter season’s first actually monumental day of racing and wagering. The headline race, the $3 million, Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Offered by Baccarat, will deliver collectively most of the finest older horses in coaching and takes place throughout the in any other case largely quiet month of January on the Grade 1 stakes calendar.
What: Pegasus World Cup Day is likely one of the yr’s premier days of Thoroughbred racing that includes a complete seven graded stakes races with purses of greater than $5 million. The headline race is the Pegasus World Cup for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the principle observe in a showdown with nationwide implications.
The place: Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Seaside, Fla., positioned between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.
When: Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. The featured races might be broadcast stay on NBC/Peacock from 4:30-6:30 p.m. ET. Full-day protection might be accessible on FanDuel TV.
Pegasus World Cup Historical past: The Pegasus World Cup has had a stellar eight-year historical past, together with some latest runnings of the race run beneath present circumstances with a $3 million purse. Underscoring the persevering with significance of the Pegasus on the annual Grade 1 calendar, the winner of final yr’s Pegasus, Nationwide Treasure, is predicted to be named the winner of the Eclipse Award for high older male of 2024. He joins an all-star line-up of prior Pegasus winners, together with horses like Knicks Go who gained the 2021 Pegasus and went on to win the 2021 Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic at Del Mar and was named Horse of the Yr.
The inaugural working of the Pegasus in 2017 gained by Arrogate featured a $12 million purse. The purse of the race topped out at $16.3 million when Gun Runner gained it in 2018, which was the ultimate race of his profession and got here simply days after he was honored as Horse of the Yr for 2017. Earlier than 2017, the race was often known as the Donn Handicap and was gained by such luminaries as Silly Pleasure, Cigar (twice), Skip Away, Medaglia d’Oro, and High quality Highway, simply to call a number of.
Pegasus World Cup Undercard: The Pegasus World Cup will not be a stand-alone occasion. A loaded supporting undercard will add to the enchantment of Pegasus World Cup Day for handicappers. The Pegasus is the centerpiece of a program that may even embrace different vital races led by the $1 million, Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes held at 1 1/8 miles and the $500,000, Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes held at 1 1/16 miles. Different graded stakes on the cardboard will embrace the $200,000, Grade 2 Inside Info Stakes for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the principle observe, the $200,000, Grade 3 William L. McKnight Stakes held at 1 ½ miles on the turf, the $150,000, Grade 3 Prevoyante Stakes at 1 ½ miles on turf for fillies and mares, and the $150,000, Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at a mile on the principle observe.
Pegasus – the Occasion: To draw high-rollers, Gulfstream Park and 1/ST Wager will once more host the favored Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship. The handicapping event prices $6,000 to enter ($5,000 bankroll and $1,000 entry price) and guarantees a $225,000 purse primarily based on 200 entries, with 100% of entry charges plus $25,000 in added cash being paid out to the winners.
The Pegasus races should not solely a draw for large bettors, they’re additionally the centerpiece of a see-and-be-seen south Florida social occasion. Pegasus Day tickets begin at $125 however a number of VIP hospitality choices might be accessible together with unique eating and leisure choices. A lot of celebrities might be anticipated on the Pegasus crimson carpet. Performances are scheduled by DJs Black Espresso and Diplo and nation/pop recording artist Dasha.
Who’s Who: Gulfstream Park has prolonged Pegasus invites to the perfect dust horses in coaching and plenty of of them are focusing on the 2025 Pegasus World Cup and anticipated to contest the race, guaranteeing an all-star solid.
Maybe the most important title anticipated on the 2025 Pegasus World Cup is Mystik Dan, the winner of the 2024 Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve. Mystik Dan might be making his 4-year-old debut coming off a boring effort in his solely latest race the place he completed final of six within the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Mystik Dan will get the headlines, however he might or might not even be the horse to beat. The position of favourite within the Pegasus seemingly might be stuffed by both Locked or White Abarrio. Locked has returned from an extended layoff for coach Todd Pletcher and has been distinctive in two latest outings – each wins – together with a victory final time within the Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap Offered by Twinspires.com at Aqueduct. White Abarrio was the winner of the 2023 Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic who’s now again with Gulfstream main coach Saffie Joseph Jr. after Joseph educated him earlier in his profession. He’s coming off a disappointing season in 2024 however has proven latest indicators of life together with a really troubled second-place end final time in Gulfstream’s Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes.
Rivalry within the 2025 Pegasus will go far past simply the highest three greatest names. Extra horses on the checklist of contenders embrace Crupi, one other Pletcher trainee who completed third within the Pegasus final yr, and Joseph’s different entrant, Skippylongstocking, who counts the 2024 Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap amongst his high profession wins. Senor Buscador is predicted to take one other crack this yr after ending second in 2024. He exited final yr’s Pegasus to win the $20 million Saudi Cup in his subsequent race.
Most of the high trainers within the recreation may even be represented within the area. Horses embrace Mixto, the 2024 Pacific Basic winner educated by Doug O’Neill, Saudi Crown, a former Grade 1 winner who exits a win in final month’s Tenacious Stakes at Honest Grounds for coach Brad Cox, and Stronghold and Creativeness, the second- and third-place finishers in final month’s Malibu Stakes educated by Phil D’Amato and Bob Baffert, respectively.
A showdown of all these proficient and achieved horses, plus many extra, will make sure the Pegasus World Cup Invitational might be an awesome betting race and a sensational occasion at Gulfstream Park.
