Who's in? Updated look at the Pegasus World Cup Turf field
Amerman Racing’s Admission Office and Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables and Bethlehem Stables LLC’s Sacred Life were moved up from the also-eligible list to the main list of invitees in Sunday's updated look at the Grade 1, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf field.
Admission Office is five-time stakes-placed, four in graded company, most recently in the Dec. 14 Fort Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream. Sacred Life won the Prix Thomas Bryon (G3) as a 2-year-old in his native France and owns one win from four starts in the U.S., finishing second in the Bernard Baruch (G2) and Seabiscuit handicaps last year.
New to the list of Turf invitees are Pin Oak Stable’s Synchrony, Jordan Wycoff’s Tusk and Calumet Farm and John Anthony Stables LLC’s American Tattoo.
Synchrony is a career nine-time winner of nearly $1 million in purses, taking the King Edward (G2) and Fair Grounds Handicap (G3) last year. Tusk, by Tapit, earned his eighth lifetime win and first in graded-stakes company in the one-mile Tropical Turf (G3) Jan. 11 at Gulfstream. A Group 1 winner in his native Argentina, American Tattoo most recently won the two-mile H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Dec. 28 at Gulfstream.
United, Starship Jubilee, A Thread of Blue and Lucullan are no longer on the list of Turf invitees.
The 1 3/16-mile Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up on the lawn is part of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series along with the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Turf for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. Overall, the Pegasus World Cup Day program will serve up nine stakes, six graded, worth $5.2 million in purses.
The Stronach Group, owners of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, announced the equine athletes in both races would compete free of any medications on race day, heralding a new era in the sport of Thoroughbred racing in North America. The medication-free policy is consistent with the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities standards. Two percent of the purses will go back to Thoroughbred aftercare.
Current Pegasus World Cup invitees must confirm their intent to run by 9 a.m. Friday, according to the Gulfstream condition book. The Pegasus World Cup Selection Committee will then update its list and order of preference on Sunday. Final entries will be taken the Wednesday of race week.