Pegasus World Cup guide: Reigning winner faces deep field
The 10th edition of the Pegasus World Cup is Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The Grade 1, 1 1/8 mile test for 4-year-olds and up on dirt offers a $3 million purse for the 12 entrants and 2 also-eligibles who have come to south Florida this year.
Reigning winner White Abarrio comes in as a horse-for-course with eight wins in 10 starts and just one off-the-board finish at Gulfstream. His last win came here in the Ghostzapper (G3) last March. Since then, he ran in three Grade 1s in New York with his best finish coming in the Whitney, when he was just four lengths off Sierra Leone in fourth place. He was scratched at the gate from the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November, though no injury was discovered. If he's healthy and runs to his 2025 form, he can become the first two-time Pegasus World Cup winner despite the outside post.
Among the full field looking to dethrone him are two newly-turned 4-year-olds from the Brad Cox barn. Morning-line favorite Disco Time comes in with an undefeated record in five starts, three of them stakes. He won the Lecomte (G3) last year before taking some time off and returned with big scores in the St Louis Derby and the Dwyer. This is his first time going 1 1/8 miles, first Grade 1 race and first time at Gulfstream, but he draws the rail and has Flavien Prat in the irons.
Disco Time's stablemate, Tappan Street, is one of the most buzzed-about runners since his Florida Derby (G1) victory last year, when he defeated Sovereignty. It was the only time Sovereignty missed the winner's circle in a horse of the year-winning campaign. Tappan Street also had to take time off after his big spring win, missing the Kentucky Derby with an injury. His return came at Gulfstream last month when he fought off pace-setting Steppe to win by a length in an allowance optional claimer. He should improve off that effort, and like White Abarrio, he likes Gulfstream.
Full Serrano ships in from California for trainer John Sadler. The Hronis Racing color-bearer makes his first start at Gulfstream, too, after a fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He ran second to Nevada Beach in the Goodwood going this distance, though the flat mile has been his key to success. He is lightly-raced for a 7-year-old, however, and forwardly-placed runners like him excel on this track. He breaks from post 3 and has his Breeders' Cup jockey, Joel Rosario, back in the saddle.
Bob Baffert's entry, Madaket Road, would have likely been a pace factor, but that rival scratched Friday afternoon.
More on each Pegasus World Cup contender is in this horse-by-horse guide.
The Pegasus World Cup is race 13, post time 5:39 EST.
Coverage of the Pegasus World Cup day card is on NBC at 4:30 p.m. EST. It is also streaming on Peacock. FanDuel TV will have coverage of the Gulfstream Park undercard races beginning at 11 a.m. EST.
Free past performances for this weekend's stakes are courtesy of Brisnet.
Here are the top speed figures from the past 12 months for the Pegasus World Cup entrants.
| No. | Horse | Beyer* | TFUS* | Brisnet | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disco Time | 107 | 136 | 103 | 136 |
| 2 | British Isles | 95 | 118 | 105 | 121 |
| 3 | Full Serrano (ARG) | 98 | 120 | 102 | 125 |
| 4 | Banishing | 106 | 129 | 104 | 133 |
| 5 | Skippylongstocking | 103 | 125 | 108 | 133 |
| scr | Madaket Road | 95 | 122 | 99 | 133 |
| 7 | Tappan Street | 94 | 117 | 99 | 122 |
| 8 | Poster | 92 | 117 | 98 | 119 |
| 9 | Captain Cook | 103 | 127 | 104 | 133 |
| 10 | Mika | 106 | 127 | 106 | 137 |
| 11 | White Abarrio | 109 | 127 | 104 | 133 |
| 12 | Brotha Keny | 93 | 120 | 97 | 117 |
| 13 | Lightning Tones | 93 | 116 | 93 | 118 |
| 14 | Catalytic | 87 | 114 | 97 | 118 |
*Beyer and TimeformUS speed figures are provided courtesy of Daily Racing Form.
HRN Handicappers
HRN's Ed DeRosa believes Disco Time is a worthy favorite, though his price looks to be overlaid at 8-5. Ed goes looking in the Harlan's Holiday stakes for bigger prices to pair with the 4-year-old unbeaten son of Not This Time.
"Winner Skippylongstocking, runner-up Poster and third-place Catalytic (if he draws in) all are likely overlays against this competitive field," he said. "The race came back fast on Ragozin, and the top two in particular have a chance to move forward to better numbers in this spot."
Here's more on his fair odds for the Pegasus World Cup.
Ed also has in-depth wagering suggestions for the Pegasus Turf and the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf.
HorseCenter's Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman have a lot to say about the Pegasus World Cup field, but they both land on the same top pick. See who it is, plus their differing views on the Pegasus Turf.
On this week's Ron Flatter Racing Pod, FanDuel TV's Christina Blacker and jockey John Velazquez talk everything Gulfstream, everything Pegasus. Also on the pod is HRN's Mark Midland with hard-core handicapping tips for the huge wagering day. Listen here.
Head-to-head handicappers Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis agree on their top plays, but differ on how to get there. See their analysis here.
Super Screener is all-in for long shots on the Pegasus World Cup card, and has two live ones circled for the late double. Get his take on the Pegasus, or analysis for all eight Gulfstream Park stakes plus two other valuable handicapping resources now.