Pegasus World Cup 2019: Post positions, odds and more
The biggest day of winter on the racing calendar has arrived with the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) set for Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Combined, the purse money for these races totals $16 million, making them the richest in North America.
Seven stakes precede the main events in Hallandale Beach, Fla., where it'll be important throughout the afternoon to pay attention to changes -- scratches, turf condition and more. Overnight rains will force races off the turf, while the main track could be still drying out for the Pegasus World Cup.
Here's a look at the two Pegasus races with the morning line...
Race 11, set for 4:51 p.m. ET, is the first running of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus World Cup Turf. Announced only in September as a concept, it didn't draw the type of field expected for a $7 million event, but did attract a pair of overseas runners in the Japanese filly Aerolithe and Magic Wand, who comes from Europe for the Aidan O'Brien stable. Yoshida, a Grade 1 winner on multiple surfaces, leads the way for the Americans and notably won Churchill Downs' Old Forester Turf Classic (G1) last May on yielding turf.
1. Magic Wand (9-2)
2. Yoshida (5-2)
3. Channel Maker (12-1)
4. Aerolithe (6-1)
5. Next Shares (15-1)
6. Fahan Mura (30-1)
7. Bricks and Mortar (5-1)
8. Delta Prince (15-1)
9. Catapult (7-2)
10. Dubby Dubbie (30-1)
Race 11, at 5:36 p.m. ET, is the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup. And it attracted just about every top eligible runner for its third running, this one worth $9 million, boasting mainly a "rubber match," as trainer Michael McCarthy called it, between his City of Light and the race favorite Accelerate, crowned a champion this week and coming in off a Breeders' Cup Classic score. City of Light, meanwhile, last won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.
1. Bravazo (12-1)
2. Something Awesome (20-1)
3. City of Light (5-2)
4. Seeking the Soul (12-1)
5. Accelerate (9-5)
6. Tom's d'Etat (20-1)
7. True Timber (30-1)
8. Gunnevera (8-1)
9. Kukulkan (30-1)
10. Audible (10-1)
11. Imperative (30-1)
12. Patternrecognition (10-1)
Tune in
Starting at 4:30 p.m. ET, NBC's network station will carry a live 90-minute telecast from Gulfstream Park featuring all its regular talent: Laffit Pincay III, former jockey Jerry Bailey and analyst Randy Moss. Additionally, TVG will carry the race, or you can live stream it through advanced deposit wagering services such as NYRABets.
Also on the card
The turf events could be essentially ruined here based on the weather, and there are indeed some good ones, with another new champ, Stormy Liberal, scheduled to face World of Trouble in a Breeders' Cup rematch in the Turf Sprint.
A glance at the stakes...
Race 3: Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint
Race 5: Ladies' Turf Sprint
Race 6: South Beach Stakes
Race 7: Hurricane Bertie Stakes
Race 8: La Prevoyante Stakes
Race 9: Fred W. Hooper Stakes
Race 10: W. L. McKnight Stakes
Pegasus World Cup handicapping
• Expert Pegasus World Cup picks
• Get Pegasus favorite Accelerate at 50-1
• How to bet the Pegasus World Cup Turf
• Free Pegasus World Cup past performances
• Steve Davidowitz's Pegasus day horses to bet
• 5 value plays on the Pegasus undercard