Gulfstream Park's 2023-24 championship meet offers 68 stakes

Gulfstream Park’s championship meet, featuring the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) on Jan. 27 and the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on March 30, will offer 68 stakes in 2023-24 with total purses of $14.875 million.

The meet, which includes racing over a new turf course, will begin Friday, Dec. 1, and conclude Sunday, March 31.

The Pegasus World Cup day program will feature eight stakes, seven of which have been granted graded status. The Pegasus World Cup, a 1 1/8-mile invitational for 4-year-olds and up, has established itself as the first major target of the new racing season for the classic division. The Pegasus World Cup Turf, a 1 1/8-mile invitational that will be contested by 4-year-olds and up, will be renewed over Gulfstream Park’s newly installed turf course. The $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3), a 1 1/16-mile invitational for fillies and mares 4-years old and up, also will be contested Jan. 27 on the turf course, which is scheduled to host 38 stakes during the meet.

The three Pegasus Day invitational races will be supported by the Inside Information (G2), a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares; the William L. McKnight (G3), a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes for older horses; the Fred Hooper (G3), a mile stakes for older horses; the La Prevoyante (G3), a 1 1/2-mile event for older fillies and mares on turf; and the Carousel Club, a mile-and-70-yard overnight handicap on Tapeta for older horses.

The Florida Derby, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds that has produced 25 Kentucky Derby winners, will headline the March 30 program, which will offer 10 stakes, five graded. The Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies, also will be featured on the Curlin Florida Derby undercard, which will include the Pan American (G2), a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes for older horses; and the Orchid (G3), a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares.

The Ghostzapper (G3), a 1 1/16-mile race for older horses, will round out the graded-stakes action on the Florida Derby program, which will be supported by the Appleton, a mile turf event for older horses; Sand Springs, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for older fillies and mares; the Sir Shackleton, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses; the Cutler Bay, a 7 1/2-furlong turf stakes for 3-year-olds; and the Sanibel Island, a 7 1/2-furlong race on turf for 3-year-old fillies.

The Mucho Macho Man, a mile stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds, will kick off the to the 73rd running of the Florida Derby on the New Year’s Day program, followed by the Holy Bull (G3) on Feb. 3 and the Fountain of Youth (G2) on March 2.

The Holy Bull, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, will headline the Feb. 1 program, which also will offer the Kitten’s Joy (G3), a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds; the Sweetest Chant (G3), a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for sophomore fillies; the Swale (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds; and the Forward Gal (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

The Fountain of Youth, the 1 1/16-mile key prep for the Florida Derby, will top a program that will feature nine stakes, eight of which are graded, including the Davona Dale (G2), a mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies that serves as the major prep for the Gulfstream Park Oaks. The Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), a mile event for older horses, and the Mac Diarmida (G2), a 1 3/8-mile turf stakes for older horses, will round out the Grade 2 stakes action on the program.

The Fountain of Youth undercard also will also offer the Canadian Turf (G3), a 1 1/16-mile grass stakes for older horses; the Honey Fox (G3), a mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares; the The Very One (G3), a 1 3/8-mile turf race for older fillies and mares; the Herecomesthebride (G3), a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies; and the Colonel Liam, a mile turf race for 3-year-olds.

The Fort Lauderdale (G2), the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) and the Suwannee River (G3) will be renewed on the Dec. 30 program, on which many entrants will audition for invitations to the Pegasus World Cup, Pegasus World Cup Turf and Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf.

The 2023-24 championship meet stakes schedule will be kicked off Dec. 2 by the finals of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by nominated Florida stallions, the In Reality and the My Dear Girl for fillies, both at 1 1/16 miles on the main track