Pegasus World Cup 2024 Contenders
By TVG Staff
Updated January 25, 2024
The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), the first major handicap division race of the winter season in the United States, happens on Saturday, January 27, at Gulfstream Park. The race covers 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt course, a middle distance that always draws a mix of milers, true nine-furlong runners, and even classic-distance runners on the cutback. With a mix of proven handicap-division stars and younger horses trying to make it at the top level, the race is exciting for fans and bettors alike.
The card features seven stakes, including the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) for older handicap horses, the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) for older grass runners, and the $500,000 Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf (G3) for older grass females. The day always provides a preview of the leaders, especially in horse racing divisions for runners aged 4 and over, for the rest of the year.
Key Pegasus World Cup Contenders
The final field for the 2024 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, as well as the Pegasus World Cup Turf and Filly and Mare Turf, drew on January 21. A full field of 12 horses drew into the main field, with one horse on the also-eligible list.
These are the entrants in the horse race, organized by post position, including their jockeys and morning-line odds:
Post 1: Nimitz Class (trainer: George Weaver jockey: Edgard Zayas owner: Qatar Racing et al.) - 20-1
He upset Gunite in the Parx Dirt Mile two starts back, but got a long winter off after finishing a well-beaten third in a minor stakes on October 23 at Parx. Moved to the barn of George Weaver, he faces top-level company for the first time in his career. He has some early speed that he is going to have to use from the inside post, but will not likely be the fastest in the field early or late.
Post 2: O’Connor (trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr. jockey: Paco Lopez owner: Michael and Jules Iavarone and Fernando Vine Ode) - 8-1
He started his career in Chile and was a buzz horse in late 2022 and early 2023 off of an impressive allowance score. However, he ran off the board in both the Harlan’s Holiday and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational in his next two starts. A year later, O’Connor is finally stepping into that promise: he beat Il Miracolo by a head in the Fayette (G2) two back, and won over Grand Aspen by the same margin in the 2023 edition of the Harlan’s Holiday. Proven at Gulfstream, he should make good account if he gets some pace to chase.
Post 3: Dynamic One (trainer: Todd Pletcher jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr. owner: Repole Stable et al.) - 15-1
He looked like a rising star in the handicap division at age four, but after a sixth-place finish in the 2022 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), he was out for over a year. He returned in December to face allowance company, but finished only fifth as the 3-2 favorite. He had a rough start and a wide trip late, giving him upside to improve second off the layoff, and the 1 ⅛-mile distance suits. However, he will have to improve significantly to win his first career Grade 1.
Post 4: Hoist the Gold (trainer: Dallas Stewart jockey: John Velazquez owner: Dream Team One Racing Stable) - 12-1
There are always some milers who stretch out to try the Pegasus World Cup, and Hoist the Gold is the most prominent in that category for 2024. He was last seen thriving in the mud in the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct on December 2, setting a contested pace and clearing off in the lane. He did win the Phoenix (G2) over dry dirt two back, but the stretch out to 1 ⅛ miles is a looming question, especially since his last two-turn stakes try was a flat fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Mineshaft (G3) last year.
Post 5: Trademark (trainer: Victoria Oliver jockey: Fernando de la Cruz owner: BBN Racing) - 15-1
So long the bridesmaid when trying graded stakes company, he finally broke through in his last start when he nosed out First Mission in the Clark on November 24. He is often in the mix when going the 1 ⅛-mile Pegasus World Cup distance, and he has the tactical speed to stay in range of the pace and not find himself compromised by Gulfstream Park’s speed-loving tendency.
Post 6: Senor Buscador (trainer: Todd Fincher jockey: Junior Alvarado owner: Joe R. Peacock, Jr.) - 20-1
He improved position late to finish second in the Cigar Mile last out, well behind Hoist the Gold. On one hand, the stretch-out in trip for the Pegasus World Cup should suit Senor Buscador well, as so much of his form in recent stakes races has come at two turns. However, his late-running style may be a liability at Gulfstream Park, and he is more proven on the win end in 1 1/16-mile races than the full nine furlongs.
Post 7: National Treasure (trainer: Bob Baffert jockey: Flavien Prat owner: SF Racing LLC et al.) - 9-5
Bob Baffert is the only trainer to win the Pegasus World Cup twice so far: he won the 2020 Pegasus World Cup with Mucho Gusto and the 2017 edition with Arrogate. He goes for a third with the 2023 Preakness winner National Treasure. He was nailed at the wire by Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, though he doesn’t face a horse here who has proven himself to be the same class as Cody’s Wish, and his forward running style should play to his advantage at Gulfstream.
Post 8: First Mission (trainer: Brad Cox jockey: Luis Saez owner: Godolphin) - 7-2
Never worse than second in five starts, he was scratched from the Preakness last year but returned smartly in the autumn, winning an allowance and then being only nosed out in the Clark (G1), his Grade 1 debut. He has yet to race at Gulfstream Park, but his forward running style should play well there, and his Clark performance suggests the 1 ⅛-mile distance should be perfect.
Post 9: Grand Aspen (trainer: Todd Pletcher jockey: Jose Ortiz owner: PRO Thoroughbred Enterprises) - 8-1
A lightly-raced five-year-old, he did not try graded company for the first time until December 30, when he finished second by a neck in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3), the local prep for the Pegasus World Cup. It was a promising first try over the Gulfstream Park course as well as a good first try against graded foes, and his trainer, Todd Pletcher, has already won the Pegasus World Cup once before, albeit with a horse with far more experience in graded company.
Post 10: Il Miracolo (trainer: Antonio Sano jockey: Javier Castellano owner: Alex Andres, LLC) - 20-1
He started his career at Gulfstream Park and returns to the track where he did so well in maiden races as a two-year-old. He took a bit longer than most of the three-year-olds to come into himself, but he has hit the board in his last five starts, including a victory in the Smarty Jones (G3) at Parx. He has yet to win a stakes race against older horses, but he hit the board in both the Fayette and the Clark, and his affinity for Gulfstream may carry him to another underneath spot as a long shot.
Post 11: Crupi (trainer: Todd Pletcher jockey: Frankie Dettori owner: St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable) - 20-1
Hopes have long been high for this son of Curlin, and he finished off the board in a pair of Kentucky Derby points races last year as a maiden. The good news is that he has won four of his last five starts, including a pair of stakes races in New York at the 1 ⅛-mile Pegasus distance in his last two starts. One of those, the Queens County, even came against older. However, he has yet to prove himself against graded-stakes foes of any age, and his late-running style may prove a liability over the Gulfstream course.
Post 12: Skippylongstocking (trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr. jockey: Tyler Gaffalione owner: Daniel Alonso) - 8-1
This five-year-old has danced a lot of dances, with six wins in 20 career starts. He raced comparatively sporadically in late 2023, but did well: he was most recently third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and won the Charles Town Classic (G2) before that. He has three wins at Gulfstream, so the footing should be no problem, though he does need to improve to be more than a longshot possibility for underneath rungs.
Betting number 13 (AE): Castle Chaos (trainer: Robert Falcone, Jr. jockey: Tyler Gaffalione owner: Sanford J. Goldfarb et al.)
The only also-eligible entrant for the 2024 Pegasus World Cup, Castle Chaos will only run if another horse scratches from the main field. If the son of Palace Malice draws in, his early speed will be an asset, but the far-outside post draw may prove a challenge. The distance is a question as well; Palace Malice on top is a good sign, though Flatter underneath suggests the extended one-turn distances he has been doing may be his best. He also has class to prove, since in his graded-stakes debut last out, he finished a distant third behind Hoist the Gold in the Cigar Mile.
Follow TVG for Your 2024 Pegasus World Cup Bets
You can watch and wager on the entire Pegasus World Cup Invitational card, including the Pegasus World Cup Turf and Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf, right here at TVG! Visit TVG.com for updated information on the Pegasus all the way until race day.
And, don’t forget to stay tuned to FanDuel TV for expert betting advice from our team of racing analysts, and live coverage of the Pegasus World Cup, Pegasus World Cup Turf, and horse racing from coast to coast.
Get up to $200 Back
If you don't win your first single-horse win betPegasus World Cup Promotions
Get up to $200 Back
If you don't win your first single-horse win betBy TVG Staff
Updated January 25, 2024
The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), the first major handicap division race of the winter season in the United States, happens on Saturday, January 27, at Gulfstream Park. The race covers 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt course, a middle distance that always draws a mix of milers, true nine-furlong runners, and even classic-distance runners on the cutback. With a mix of proven handicap-division stars and younger horses trying to make it at the top level, the race is exciting for fans and bettors alike.
The card features seven stakes, including the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) for older handicap horses, the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) for older grass runners, and the $500,000 Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf (G3) for older grass females. The day always provides a preview of the leaders, especially in horse racing divisions for runners aged 4 and over, for the rest of the year.
Key Pegasus World Cup Contenders
The final field for the 2024 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, as well as the Pegasus World Cup Turf and Filly and Mare Turf, drew on January 21. A full field of 12 horses drew into the main field, with one horse on the also-eligible list.
These are the entrants in the horse race, organized by post position, including their jockeys and morning-line odds:
Post 1: Nimitz Class (trainer: George Weaver jockey: Edgard Zayas owner: Qatar Racing et al.) - 20-1
He upset Gunite in the Parx Dirt Mile two starts back, but got a long winter off after finishing a well-beaten third in a minor stakes on October 23 at Parx. Moved to the barn of George Weaver, he faces top-level company for the first time in his career. He has some early speed that he is going to have to use from the inside post, but will not likely be the fastest in the field early or late.
Post 2: O’Connor (trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr. jockey: Paco Lopez owner: Michael and Jules Iavarone and Fernando Vine Ode) - 8-1
He started his career in Chile and was a buzz horse in late 2022 and early 2023 off of an impressive allowance score. However, he ran off the board in both the Harlan’s Holiday and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational in his next two starts. A year later, O’Connor is finally stepping into that promise: he beat Il Miracolo by a head in the Fayette (G2) two back, and won over Grand Aspen by the same margin in the 2023 edition of the Harlan’s Holiday. Proven at Gulfstream, he should make good account if he gets some pace to chase.
Post 3: Dynamic One (trainer: Todd Pletcher jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr. owner: Repole Stable et al.) - 15-1
He looked like a rising star in the handicap division at age four, but after a sixth-place finish in the 2022 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), he was out for over a year. He returned in December to face allowance company, but finished only fifth as the 3-2 favorite. He had a rough start and a wide trip late, giving him upside to improve second off the layoff, and the 1 ⅛-mile distance suits. However, he will have to improve significantly to win his first career Grade 1.
Post 4: Hoist the Gold (trainer: Dallas Stewart jockey: John Velazquez owner: Dream Team One Racing Stable) - 12-1
There are always some milers who stretch out to try the Pegasus World Cup, and Hoist the Gold is the most prominent in that category for 2024. He was last seen thriving in the mud in the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct on December 2, setting a contested pace and clearing off in the lane. He did win the Phoenix (G2) over dry dirt two back, but the stretch out to 1 ⅛ miles is a looming question, especially since his last two-turn stakes try was a flat fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Mineshaft (G3) last year.
Post 5: Trademark (trainer: Victoria Oliver jockey: Fernando de la Cruz owner: BBN Racing) - 15-1
So long the bridesmaid when trying graded stakes company, he finally broke through in his last start when he nosed out First Mission in the Clark on November 24. He is often in the mix when going the 1 ⅛-mile Pegasus World Cup distance, and he has the tactical speed to stay in range of the pace and not find himself compromised by Gulfstream Park’s speed-loving tendency.
Post 6: Senor Buscador (trainer: Todd Fincher jockey: Junior Alvarado owner: Joe R. Peacock, Jr.) - 20-1
He improved position late to finish second in the Cigar Mile last out, well behind Hoist the Gold. On one hand, the stretch-out in trip for the Pegasus World Cup should suit Senor Buscador well, as so much of his form in recent stakes races has come at two turns. However, his late-running style may be a liability at Gulfstream Park, and he is more proven on the win end in 1 1/16-mile races than the full nine furlongs.
Post 7: National Treasure (trainer: Bob Baffert jockey: Flavien Prat owner: SF Racing LLC et al.) - 9-5
Bob Baffert is the only trainer to win the Pegasus World Cup twice so far: he won the 2020 Pegasus World Cup with Mucho Gusto and the 2017 edition with Arrogate. He goes for a third with the 2023 Preakness winner National Treasure. He was nailed at the wire by Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, though he doesn’t face a horse here who has proven himself to be the same class as Cody’s Wish, and his forward running style should play to his advantage at Gulfstream.
Post 8: First Mission (trainer: Brad Cox jockey: Luis Saez owner: Godolphin) - 7-2
Never worse than second in five starts, he was scratched from the Preakness last year but returned smartly in the autumn, winning an allowance and then being only nosed out in the Clark (G1), his Grade 1 debut. He has yet to race at Gulfstream Park, but his forward running style should play well there, and his Clark performance suggests the 1 ⅛-mile distance should be perfect.
Post 9: Grand Aspen (trainer: Todd Pletcher jockey: Jose Ortiz owner: PRO Thoroughbred Enterprises) - 8-1
A lightly-raced five-year-old, he did not try graded company for the first time until December 30, when he finished second by a neck in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3), the local prep for the Pegasus World Cup. It was a promising first try over the Gulfstream Park course as well as a good first try against graded foes, and his trainer, Todd Pletcher, has already won the Pegasus World Cup once before, albeit with a horse with far more experience in graded company.
Post 10: Il Miracolo (trainer: Antonio Sano jockey: Javier Castellano owner: Alex Andres, LLC) - 20-1
He started his career at Gulfstream Park and returns to the track where he did so well in maiden races as a two-year-old. He took a bit longer than most of the three-year-olds to come into himself, but he has hit the board in his last five starts, including a victory in the Smarty Jones (G3) at Parx. He has yet to win a stakes race against older horses, but he hit the board in both the Fayette and the Clark, and his affinity for Gulfstream may carry him to another underneath spot as a long shot.
Post 11: Crupi (trainer: Todd Pletcher jockey: Frankie Dettori owner: St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable) - 20-1
Hopes have long been high for this son of Curlin, and he finished off the board in a pair of Kentucky Derby points races last year as a maiden. The good news is that he has won four of his last five starts, including a pair of stakes races in New York at the 1 ⅛-mile Pegasus distance in his last two starts. One of those, the Queens County, even came against older. However, he has yet to prove himself against graded-stakes foes of any age, and his late-running style may prove a liability over the Gulfstream course.
Post 12: Skippylongstocking (trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr. jockey: Tyler Gaffalione owner: Daniel Alonso) - 8-1
This five-year-old has danced a lot of dances, with six wins in 20 career starts. He raced comparatively sporadically in late 2023, but did well: he was most recently third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and won the Charles Town Classic (G2) before that. He has three wins at Gulfstream, so the footing should be no problem, though he does need to improve to be more than a longshot possibility for underneath rungs.
Betting number 13 (AE): Castle Chaos (trainer: Robert Falcone, Jr. jockey: Tyler Gaffalione owner: Sanford J. Goldfarb et al.)
The only also-eligible entrant for the 2024 Pegasus World Cup, Castle Chaos will only run if another horse scratches from the main field. If the son of Palace Malice draws in, his early speed will be an asset, but the far-outside post draw may prove a challenge. The distance is a question as well; Palace Malice on top is a good sign, though Flatter underneath suggests the extended one-turn distances he has been doing may be his best. He also has class to prove, since in his graded-stakes debut last out, he finished a distant third behind Hoist the Gold in the Cigar Mile.
Follow TVG for Your 2024 Pegasus World Cup Bets
You can watch and wager on the entire Pegasus World Cup Invitational card, including the Pegasus World Cup Turf and Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf, right here at TVG! Visit TVG.com for updated information on the Pegasus all the way until race day.
And, don’t forget to stay tuned to FanDuel TV for expert betting advice from our team of racing analysts, and live coverage of the Pegasus World Cup, Pegasus World Cup Turf, and horse racing from coast to coast.