The Pegasus World Cup Invitational is held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, FL. It began in 2017 and was won by Arrogate. Last year’s winner was Gun Runner. The contenders this year are of the same quality and class. While 7 of the stakes are for thoroughbreds 4 and older, the 2 highlights are open to those 3 and above. The stakes are the South Beach, the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, the Ladies Turf Sprint, the Hurricane Bertie, the La Preyvoyante Handicap, the W.L. McKnight Handicap and the Fred Hooper. Additionally, the Pegasus World Cup Turf precedes the Pegasus Word Cup.
Prepare yourself for the day. Gates open at 8 A.M. ET and the first race posts at 11:30 A.M. The very first edition on the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational is set to start at 4:51 P.M. Race 11 carries a purse of $7 million dollars! It is a grade 1 turf race over 1 and 3/16 miles. 10 contenders make up this fine field.
Finally, race 12 is the Pegasus World Cup! Posting at 5:36 P.M. It s a $9 million dollar race. The grade 1 dirt race is held at 1 and 1/8 miles. 12 thoroughbreds will face off in this grand race. The contenders are as follows by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/and morning-line odds:
- Bravazo/Luis Saez/D. Wayne Lukas/Calumet Farm/12-1
- Something Awesome/Edgar S. Prado/Jose Corrales/Stronach Stables/20-1
- City of Light/Javier Castellano/Michael W. Mc Carthy/Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr./5-2
- Seeking the Soul/John R. Velazquez/Dallas Stewart/Charles FE. Fipke/12-1
- Accelerate/Joel Rossario/John W. Sadler/Hrosnis Racing,LLC./9-5
- Tom’s d’Etat/Shaun Bridgmohan/Albert M. Stall, Jr./G M B Racing/20-1
- True Timber/Joe Bravo/Kiaran P. McLaughlin/Calumet Farm/30-1
- Gunnevera/Irad Ortiz, Jr./ Antioni Sano/Margoth/8-1
- Kukulkan/Lanfranco Dettori/Fausto Gutierrez/St. George Stable, LLC./30-1
- Audible/Flavien Prat/Todd A. Pletcher/WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners and Starlight Racing/10-1
- Imperative/Tyler Gaffalione/Anthony T. Quartarolo/Ron Paolucci Racing, LLC. and Imaginary Stables/30-1
- Patternrecognition/Jose L. Ortiz/Chad C. Brown/Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William Lawrence/10-1
Bravazo is a 4 year-old (KY bred) colt of sire, Awesome Again and dam, Tiz O’ Gold (read Awesome Again/Tiz O’ Gold). He has had 16 career starts including 3 wins, 4 finishes in second place and 3 finishes in third, shown (16)-3-4-3. He ran second place in the 2018 Preakness Stakes and finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in 2018. At Keeneland he ran second in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity in 2017. I am a huge Lukas fan and would love to see this horse win for him. Bravazo has raced at many tracks but not in Florida.
Something Awesome (AwesomeAgain/Somethinaboutlaura) is an 8 year-old (ON bred) gelding has a (26)-9-3-6 record. He is owned by races owner, Stronach. The Stronach Group owns the entire Pegasus World Cup Day. After running in many maiden, claiming and allowance races he has finally grown into some success with black type and graded stakes races. He has raced in many locations including Gulfstream finishing third twice at this track.
City of Light (Quality Road/Paris Notion) is a 5 year-old (KY bred) horse. He boasts (10)-5-4-1. He won the 2018 BC Dirt Mile. Though he handles shipping well he has not raced at Gulfstream.
Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul/Seeking the Title) is a 6 year-old (KY bred) horse. (23)-6-5-6 are his statistics. He finished second in the BC mile this past year. I saw him race at Keeneland where he won on each of his two visits. He finished 5th in the Pegasus last year.
Accelerate ( Lookin at Lucky/Issues) is a 6 year-old (KY bred). He is the favorite to win and has a (22)-10-5-5- record. He won the most recent edition of the BC Classic. He was third in the BC Mile in 2016. This will be his first entry at Gulfstream. This thoroughbred won an Eclipse Award for Older Dirt Male yesterday!
Tom’s d’Etat (Smart Strike/Julia Tuttle) is a 6 year-old (KY bred). His career is (9)-6-1-0. His last start was a black type where he finished first. Prior, he had only raced maiden and claiming races. He has not raced in Florida.
True Timber (Mineshaft/Queen’s Wood) is a 5 year-old (KY bred). He has raced (16)-4-4-4. He spends most of his time racing in New York. Last month he finished second in the Cigar Mile.
Gunnevera (Dialed In/Unbridled Rage) is a 5 year-old (KY bred). He holds a (19)-6-5-2 record. He has an excellent second pace finish in the last BC Classic. He has raced at my home track, Keeneland, as well as at Gulfstream. Last year he finished thrid in the Pegasus. Jockey, Irad Ortiz, Jr. was awarded an Eclipse for outstanding jockey last evening!
Kukulkan (Point Determined/The Real Mayo) is a 4 year-old colt with (MEX breeding). He is undefeated in 14 starts! (14)-14-0-0! His first 13 wins were in Mexico where he won his country’s Triple Crown. His last start was right at Gulfstream where he won again in a black type stakes. The odds are against him bust we could be in for a shake up.
Audible (Into Mischief/Blue Devil Bel) is a 4 year-old colt of (NY breeding). (8)-5-1-2 is how his career has been. He finished third in the last Kentucky Derby. He has raced 3 times at Gulfstream, all graded stakes, finishing first in 2 entries and second in his last start.
Imperative (Bernardini/Call Her) is a 9 year-old gelding. This (KY bred) has run (44)-6-8-4. He raced at Keeneland for his first time this past meet. He won at Gulfstream in a black type race but then in his last start he was at Gulfstream once more where he did not finish in the money.
Patternrecognition (Adios Charlie/Almost a Valentine) is a (FL bred) 6 year-old. He has a (11)-5-5-0 record. He has done all of his racing in New York. His is on a 3 race winning streak, the last 2 were graded stakes. Congrats to Chad Brown for his Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer last night!
Thanks! Best wishes to all of the contenders. Don’t miss this grand day of racing, 1/26/19. NBC will televise the races starting at 4:30 P.M. ET. TVG will show the days races as well.