Contenders For Pegasus World Cup 2019
Eleven horses are probable for the third running of the Grade 1, $9 million Pegasus World Cup on Saturday, January 26, since it has become unlikely that Bob Baffert will enter McKinzie.
Some interesting information in the conditions of the race include the estimated purse distribution: $4 million to the winner, $1.25 million for second, $900,000 to third, $700,000 to fourth, $550,000 for fifth, $250,000 for sixth to ninth and $200,000 to the final three finishers.
The basic weights for the race have anyone willing to enter a 3-year-old getting a huge weight break, carrying 108 pounds while older horses get 124. There is an interesting list of weight allowances: fillies and mares (five pounds), Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds (three pounds) and horses running without Lasix (seven pounds).
Jan 23, 2021 Twelve of the country's top turf horses will compete on Saturday when the starting gate opens in the 2021 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park. Trainer Todd Pletcher saddles three contenders. 2019 Pegasus World Cup News & Notes Gun Runner makes the final race of his career, and a win would double his career earnings to nearly $18 million. Gun Runner has never raced at Gulfstream Park, but he’s competed on 10 different tracks with 11 career wins and is training beautifully heading into the Pegasus.
Here is the analysis of the Pegasus World Cup field listed in alphabetical order with prospective morning line odds by Horse Racing Nation.
- In 2019, the Stronach Group partnered with Xpressbet to host Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship with the total prize of $435,000. 13 The fourth Pegasus World Cup, to be run on 25 January 2020, will carry a purse of $3 million and require that horses be free of all race-day medications.
- In the 2017 World's Best Racehorse Rankings The Tin Man was again given a rating of 117, making him the 129th best horse in the world and the sixth best sprinter in Europe. 2018: six-year-old season. The Tin Man's first appearance of 2018 was in the Leisure Stakes at Windsor on 21 May for which he started the 7/4 favourite.
Pegasus World Cup Winners
Accelerate [ML 9-5 – Lookin At Lucky – J. Sadler/J. Rosario – 22: 10-5-5 - $5,792,480] Pegasus World Cup history is on his side, since both previous winners of the race also scored in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. When I ask myself why Accelerate might lose this race, I come up empty. He is as worthy as a favorite can be. The top choice.
Audible [ML 8-1 – Into Mischief – T. Pletcher/F. Prat – 8: 5-1-2 - $1,220,520] Keep in mind that over an eight-race career, Audible has five wins and has never finished out of the money. His Grade 1 victory came in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream. A second-place finish in the Harlan’s Holiday in December could be viewed as a disappointment, and people are going to abandon this Pletcher runner, but he cannot be ignored in this race. Use underneath.
Bravazo [ML 15-1 – Awesome Again – D. W. Lukas/L.Saez – 16: 3-4-3 - $1,303,528] The iron horse showed up in every major spot last year as a 3-year-old. Although the money keeps rolling into his account from finishes on the board, he has not won a race since last February's Risen Star (G2). This is a tough field, and Gulfstream Park probably does not suit his running style. Still, you have to admire this throwback D. Wayne Lukas runner. Toss.
City of Light [ML 3-1 – Quality Road – M. McCarthy/J. Castellano – 10: 5-4-1 - $1,662,600] The dazzling winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile is another one who has never finished off the board. He is the only horse to defeat Accelerate in the 2018 and did so in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) going this 1 1/8-mile distance. I expect that he will be sent to either set or contend the early pace. Win contender.
Gunnevera [ML 6-1 – Dialed In – A. Sano/I. Ortiz Jr. – 19: 6-5-2 - $4,111,800] Gunnevera has earned more than $4 million by running well in big races, but he has not won a graded stakes race since the 2017 Fountain of Youth (G2). Gulfstream Park is his home track, where has recorded four of his six career victories. His big closing move is probably better suited to 10 furlongs, but he will be coming fast down the stretch. Use underneath.
Kukulkan [ML 40-1 – Point Determined – F. Gutierrez/F. Dettori – 14: 14-0-0 - $326,484] – Unbeaten in his first 13 starts in Mexico, his lone start away from Hipodromo De Las Americas was a victory in the Dec. 8 Caribbean Classic at Gulfstream, which was restricted to 3-year-olds that were bred in a “Caribbean country.” He faces an overwhelming class challenge but will have the services of international superstar rider Frankie Dettori. Pretender.
Patternrecognition [ML 15-1 – Adios Charlie – C. Brown/J. Ortiz – 11: 5-5-0 - $812,325] Chad Brown has this 6-year-old in the best form of his career while putting together two big wins in the Cigar Mile (G1) and the Kelso (G2). Prior to those races, he was strictly an allowance horse. His speed will make him a threat on a track that is kind to that running style. However, Patternrecognition = does not have the look of a two-turn horse. Toss.
Seeking the Soul [ML 20-1 – Perfect Soul – D. Stewart/J. Velazquez – 23: 6-5-6 - $1,701,042] Seeking the Soul ran second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile behind City of Light but was himself well ahead of the show horse, Bravazo. He is the past winner of the Clark Handicap (G1) and will again have big odds in a big race. He fizzled in last year’s Pegasus. Toss.
Something Awesome[ML 50-1 – Awesome Again – J. Corrales/E. Prado – 26: 9-3-6 - $1,093,601] The winner of the 2018 Charles Town Classic (G2) is the obligatory Pegasus runner from race presenter Stronach Stables. Interestingly, he has not run at Gulfstream since the winter of 2017. Last year was the best of this 8-year-old’s career with a total of three stakes victories including the General George (G2) at Laurel. Pretender.
Tom’s d’Etat [ML 20-1 – Smart Strike – A. Stall Jr./S. Bridgmohan – 9: 6-1-0 - $278,492] This Fair Grounds-based runner has won four straight races, including his first stakes victory in the Tenacious Stakes at the New Orleans track. One of those wins was in a three-horse field at Churchill Downs. This is an improving horse for Al Stall, whose tallest task seems to be keeping the lightly raced contender healthy. Live longshot.
True Timber [ML 30-1 – Mineshaft– K. McLaughlin/J. Bravo – 17: 4-4-4 - $550,550] This Calumet runner has not won a stakes race in his career but did run second in the Bold Ruler (G3) and the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. He is a likely longshot who could be a pace factor in the Pegasus. Toss.
Summary: The Pegasus appears to be a race between Accelerate and City of Light. Yes, they will be the top two betting choices in the race, but to me they are much the best in the field and the winner is extremely likely to come from that duo.
The other three horses that have a good chance to hit the board are Audible, Gunnevera, and Tom’s d’Etat.
My suggested trifecta wager: Accelerate with City of Light; Audible, Gunnevera, Tom’s d’Etat with City of Light; and Audible, Gunnevera and Tom’s d’Etat filling out the third spot.
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