Tag: Pegasus World Cup

Knicks Go opened his 2021 season winning the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational. He hopes to close his stellar career becoming the first repeat winner in event history Saturday. (Image: Gulfstream Park)

Knicks Go, Life Is Good Make Pegasus World Cup a Two-Horse Race

A “happy, fresh, and full of himself” Knicks Go will defend his Pegasus World Cup Invitational title Saturday on the rail as the 6/5 morning-line favorite. That’s the result of Tuesday’s post-position draw for the $3 million Grade 1 event. The presumptive favorite to be named Horse of the Year […]

Sir Winston shocked everyone but his trainer when he and Joel Rosario won the 2019 Belmont Stakes at 14/1. After a rocky 2020 and resurgent 2021, the 6-year-old horse takes his shot in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational. (Image: Coglianese Photos)

Can This Pegasus Trip Be What Belmont Champ Sir Winston Needs?

One trip abroad nearly cost Sir Winston his career. Another trip abroad saved it. And now, the 2019 Belmont Stakes winner comes into Saturday’s $3 million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational as a mature, fresh 6-year-old. His trainer, Mark Casse, thinks the son of Awesome Again could be awesome […]

Irad Ortiz Jr. points the way for Life Is Good after his dominant Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victory last month. The next stop on the colt's race itinerary is the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park. (Image: Skip Dickstein)

Pletcher Points Life Is Good Toward Pegasus World Cup Invitational

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner and Eclipse Award candidate Life Is Good will open his 4-year-old season in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational, a race trainer Todd Pletcher lacks on his Hall of Fame resume. Pletcher won the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational last year with Colonel Liam, […]

With no Charlatan in the gate, Knicks Go becomes a likely favorite for the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on the June 5 Belmont Stakes undercard. (Image: Coady Photography)

Cox Calls a New Play for Knicks Go — The Met Mile

Even Brad Cox understands how the avoid Bob Baffert game is played, which explains why he moved his star older horse, Knicks Go, to the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. That June 5 race is the first-among-equals Grade 1 on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Cox originally targeted Knicks Go for the […]

Knicks Go opened his 5-year-old campaign winning the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. He returns to action three months after a fourth-place Saudi Cup finish in the May 31 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park. (Image: Coglianese Photos)

Knicks Go Returns Off the Main Track — at Texas’ Lone Star Park

Standout 5-year-old horse Knicks Go, last seen finishing fourth in the Saudi Cup on Feb. 20, will return in an unlikely spot on May 31 – the Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park. Trainer Brad Cox announced Knicks Go’s next go-moment during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association […]

Knicks Go just likes to go, as he did during this Thursday workout before Saturday's $20 million Saudi Cup. The 5-year-old standout nearly retired last year. (Image: Coady Photography/VidHorse)

Knicks Go, Brad Cox Tell the Story of a Horse’s Renaissance

Every time Brad Cox looks at his first Eclipse Award as 2020’s Champion Trainer, he should give thanks to Knicks Go. For if there was ever an example of how important a trainer’s impact is on an individual horse, the story of Knicks Go is Exhibit A. And if there […]

Colonel Liam romped to victory in the Pegasus World Cup Turf, Jan. 23. His victory in one of two Grade 1 races during January helped build strong January handle numbers. (Image: Lauren King)

Racing Economic Indicators Show Jump in January Handle

Total horseracing handle jumped for the second consecutive month, providing one key takeaway from Equibase’s first Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing report of 2021. Betting in January climbed 9.57% from January 2020’s numbers to $959,602,269. That followed a 6.24% boost in December wagering, signifying that horseracing may be rebounding out […]

Knicks Go (right) illustrated why he is one of 2021's star racing attractions, blazing past his rivals to win the $3 million Pegasus World Cup. (Image: Associated Press)

Knicks Go Dunks on His Rivals Again, Wins Pegasus Gate-to-Wire

Enjoy Knicks Go while you can. Savor every start of his 5-year-old campaign, while you understand you’re watching horseracing’s star attraction of 2021. Knicks Go brought this lesson home in gate-to-wire fashion, winning the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday afternoon. It’s certainly understandable if Knicks […]

If Knicks Go gets an unchallenged lead like he did in blitzing the field ini the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, the Pegasus World Cup will be over in short order. The 5-year-old is the 5/2 favorite in the $3 million race. (Image: Coady Photography/Keeneland)

Without Baffert, Knicks Go’s Fast Break Makes Him Pegasus Favorite

If horses run in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and Bob Baffert doesn’t train any of them, does it really happen? We’re about to find out what the richest dirt race for older horses in North America – non-Breeders’ Cup division – looks like without the preeminent dirt trainer of […]

Knicks Go and Joel Rosario won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last November. The 5-year-old Brad Cox charge is the 5/2 favorite for Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. (Image: Skip Dickstein)

Knicks Go Draws Prime Pegasus Post, Tabbed as 5/2 Favorite

With three straight victories in as many 2020 starts, Knicks Go is exactly the type of horse who wins the Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Now, add a prime starting spot from Post 4 to the mix, and it’s easy to understand how Knicks Go became the 5/2 favorite when Pegasus […]

Last time out, Shivaree set the Tampa Bay Downs stakes record en route to winning the Marion County Florida Sire Stakes. The runner-up in last year's Florida Derby returns to action Saturday in the Fred Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park. (Image: SV Photography)

The Pegasus Isn’t the Only Stakes Race This Weekend

Saturday brings us the first two Grade 1 stakes races of 2021: the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the Pegasus World Cup Turf, coming to you from Gulfstream Park. The Florida track captures this weekend’s stakes spotlight with those two high-profile races, along with five other graded stakes on its […]

Charlatan's stretch romp in the Malibu Stakes last month produced one of the most impressive wins of the year. He likely will run next in Saudi Arabia in the world's richest race -- the $20 million Saudi Cup. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Baffert’s Charlatan Will Follow the Money to the Saudi Cup

In a clear case of following the money, Charlatan will pass on the Pegasus and likely set down at the Saudi Cup. That’s what trainer Bob Baffert told Santa Anita’s Ed Golden on Sunday. Following the money, in this case, takes the 4-year-old son of Speightstown to Saudi Arabia on […]

Mucho Gusto won one Grade 1 and finished second in two others in his 13-race career. He retired Tuesday after suffering a tendon injury. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Defending Pegasus Champ Mucho Gusto Suddenly Retired After Injury

Illustrating once again the fragile nature of modern Thoroughbred horses, defending Pegasus World Cup champion Mucho Gusto was suddenly retired Tuesday after suffering a soft tissue injury. Bob Baffert, Mucho Gusto’s trainer, said the injury happened Tuesday. He told Horse Racing Nation that due to the nature of the injury […]

Tax captured the Harlan's Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park for his first victory since he and Irad Ortiz Jr. won this Jim Dandy stakes 17 months ago. (Image: Chelsea Durand/NYRA)

This Tax Return Pays Off in Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Romp

His return wasn’t inevitable, but Tax season is here again. Making only his third start in his 4-year-old season, Tax romped to victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Harlon’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He tore away from the field en route to a 4-½-length victory over 10/1 shot, Eye of […]

The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational is one of 36 graded stakes on Gulfstream Park's 2020-21 Championship Meet schedule. The south Florida track opens its 84-day meet Wednesday. (Image: Getty)

Gulfstream Park Championship Meet Opens with No Fans, Rich Stakes

Gulfstream Park opens its 2020-21 Championship Meet on Wednesday without spectators, but with a stakes schedule that – aside from several stops on the Road to the Kentucky Derby – offers one of North America’s richest races. Headlining Gulfstream’s 75 stakes races – 36 graded – is the $3 million […]

Tiz the Law will open his 2021 season at the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. He'll do so with new rider John Velazquez aboard. (Image: Albany Times Union)

Tiz The Law Rides Into 2021 with a New Jockey: John Velazquez

Five days after Tiz the Law came home a disappointing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, ownership group Sackatoga Stable announced that Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez replaces Manny Franco in the irons for the colt’s 2021 season. That season begins at the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at […]

The Saudi Cup card in Riyadh added four qualifying events to its card. Two of those send the winner to the $20 million Saudi Cup. (Image: Bandar Al-Jaloud/Agence France-Presse-Getty Images

Saudi Cup Day Adds Pegasus World Cup Events as Automatic Qualifiers

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia announced Friday that four races in the US and Japan will serve as “Win and You’re In” events for next year’s Saudi Cup Day races. Heading the list is the Grade 1 $3 million Pegasus World Cup. That race, one of the richest in […]

The scene for the 2021 Pegasus World Cup day won't be as crowded as it was in 2018. But Gulfstream Park will allow fans inside for its Championship Meet that begins Dec. 2. (Image: John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Gulfstream Park Will Allow Limited Fans Inside for Championship Meet

Gulfstream Park announced Monday it will allow fans inside for its Championship Meet, which begins Dec. 2 at the South Florida track north of Miami. Bill Badgett, the executive director of Florida racing for track owner The Stronach Group, told Thoroughbred Daily News Gulfstream Park will cap attendance at 50% […]

Arrogate became the first horse in Saratoga history to break 2 minutes for 1 1/4 miles when he won the 2016 Travers Stakes. The richest horse in terms of on-track earnings was euthanized Tuesday. He was 7. (Image: Peter Barber/Daily Gazette)

Arrogate, North America’s Top-Earning Horse, Euthanized at Age 7

Arrogate, who put on one of the most memorable runs of 21st-century racing en route to becoming North America’s richest racehorse, was euthanized Tuesday morning at an equine hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. The son of Unbridled’s Song suffered a mysterious neck illness last week at Juddmonte Farms, where he neared […]