January 23, 2025
FLORIDA — By Ed DeRosa
The Pegasus World Cup card is one of the crown jewels of the racing calendar, handling more than $40-million each year, and with 13 races and competitive fields this year, Saturday at Gulfstream Park could top the $50-million mark in money wagered for the first time in its nine-year existence.
Indeed, between Breeders’ Cup and Kentucky Derby week, no race day handles more than Pegasus, and other than Oaks, Derby, Preakness, Belmont, Travers, and Breeders’ Cup days, Pegasus is the only day of racing to break that $40-million threshold.
So what makes this year’s card so special? Well, of course there is the Pegasus World Cup itself, which goes as the last race on the 13-race card. There are two other Pegasus events as well–the Filly & Mare Turf (race 10) and the Invitational Turf (race 12)–making them a part of the all-stakes pick 6, pick 5, pick 4, and several all-stakes pick 3s.
We’ll get to the Pegasus trio in a moment, but race 2 definitely warrants your attention. All the races do, but this one in particular is interesting because it features the debut of Disruptor, a $1.15-million purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale. Trained by Todd Pletcher for a partnership, there is a lot of buzz on this horse, and he is likely to be odds on. I’m going to try to beat him.
#7 Bob Mo is one of only three horses who have started before, and while his first three career starts weren’t great–last of 12, last of 12, and eighth of 12 by a combined 85 lengths–the light bulb went out last time at Gulfstream finishing second to Triple Crown prospect Tappan Street. Now he stays at this track and distance while getting Lasix.
Skipping ahead to the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf, this is an extremely competitive race where half the field of 12 have legitimate chances. Thankfully, #1 Raqiya and #5 Fluffy Socks look to take the most action of the contenders. There will be some gambling involved in tossing those two completely as either certainly can win, but taking the shortest prices in a competitive race is a losing move long term.
#10 Sacred Wish is the most exciting here off that win in the Matriarch and getting to run an extra half furlong with John Velazquez staying aboard. Like Raqiya, #11 Bless My Stars is trained by Todd Pletcher. Unlike Raqiya, however, Bless My Stars did not win her American debut, but she very likely needed that race off a 10-month layoff and should improve here while retaining Irad Ortiz Jr. as her jockey and getting up to 5 pounds from the rest.
In the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes, Nation’s Pride is a vulnerable favorite. Yes, his Grade 1 wins in this hemisphere are an impressive display of class, but even if he runs back to those performances, they are only good enough to contend in here, and there is no guarantee we will see that version of Nations Pride off the dud in Bahrain. Lastly, he is a horse who has excelled beyond 1 ⅛ miles, so this might be too short for him.
#3 Mi Hermano Ramon just missed to Johannes, who I’d have made even money to win this race had he entered. Mi Hermano Ramon is not that likely, but he is a good horse with two good performances at this distance. Luis Saez remains aboard, and I love when jockeys ride a turf stakes horse for the second time.
The big one is the Pegasus World Cup, and I see it as a two-horse race between #2 Saudi Crown and #11 Locked. The former has a tactical advantage here both in terms of post and early speed, so he is my pick.
Because we are willing to play against the short prices in the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf and the big favorite in the Pegasus Turf, I will allow myself some tickets that include Locked even though he will be favored here. The Cigar Mile was just too good and the hopes on this one too high to completely dismiss him if I’m able to connect with a couple $20 horses earlier.
Longshot wise, #1 Mixto interests me a little bit with the nice rail draw. He will save ground and might be able to get first run on the leaders if Saudi Crown shows signs of fatigue. I am going to fade White Abarrio, whose best two years ago wins this race, but those days appear to be behind him, but he will get bet like they’re not.