Pegasus World Cup (Grade 1)- $3,000.000 Purse
GP- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
January 27, 2024

The stars are out for the annual running of the Pegasus World Cup, a race that has certainly established itself as one of the most anticipated races of the year. Looking at the nominations for this race before it drew, there was at one time 26 horses nominated, but only fourteen that can draw in. The result is a rematch of the BC Classic and the BC Dirt Mile all wrapped into one with no weak links in the field. Only four horses entered have less than $1,000.000 in earnings, and with the likes of Rudy Is With Me and Speightstown drawing as the first also eligibles, you know this field is jam packed. I’m certainly looking forward to this one! Looking back, the 2023 edition of this race was won by Home Spirit, for Night Rider Stables, and he would go on to have a solid year that saw him make the BC Classic. He’s going to be back to defend his title, against these thirteen rivals. Let’s meet them now:

#1- Ey Mon (Arindel, ridden by El Gonzalez)- Two months ago, Ey Mon ran seventh in the BC Classic with a come from behind effort that saw get within a length. Adding to the challenge for him is that he only had a week of rest, as he ran in, and won, the Grade 2 Fayette, a result that was probably necessary to get the points needed for the race. Was sixth in this race last year, then ran off three in a row. Could be lost in the shuffle at the betting window, so keep an eye on his odds.

#2- Seydoux II (Arindel, ridden by E Jaramillo)- This race has several runners from both the BC Classic and the BC Dirt Mile, including the winners of both races. Seydoux II was the winner of the Dirt Mile, using a stalking trip and strong stretch run to get that victory. It would his fifth win in nine races during 2023, with the CT Classic, a nine-furlong race, being another big race that he won. You also know that Arindel’s going to get on a roll anytime now, as he has been cold to start the year (1-for-24).

#3- Spankersville (The Sidley Stud, ridden by F T Alvarado)- Made the BC Classic field, but never really got going in it, starting near the back and only finding his way by a few to get up to eighth. He had seemed destined for at least a more competitive run, as he had won both the Grade 1 JC Gold Cup and the Grade 1 Woodward heading into the race. He is a closer by nature, so that race may have not set up well for him and possibly his post had a lot to do with that. More than capable of reminding all of us where he was before that race.

#4- Sexy Back (Night Rider Stables, ridden by E J Zayas)- Etched his name into the history books two months ago, becoming a BC Classic champion! Sexy Back was not seen as one of the stronger choices by the betting public for the race, as went off at odds of 36/1 en route to the victory. It would one of four wins on the year. He would run a month later at the Cigar Handicap and didn’t get a good finish while being a significant high weight for the race. That’s not something he has to worry about here.

#5- Hiei (Fractious, ridden by A Cedillo)- Hiei had a strong three-year-old season, and despite going off as a 10/1 longshot for the BC Classic, he still seemed to be a good choice for the race. He looked good in the race, and while it was not a winning performance, his late run ended up getting him third. His four-year-old campaign starts now, and as a gelding we know that he could potentially be around for a long time if he stays on this form. See no reason to doubt the winner of the 2023 BEL just as long as there isn’t a drop of rain on the track. (Only an 11% chance of rain four days prior to the race).

#6- Dayton (Pan Farms, ridden by I Castillo)- Only in a race like this can you have made $455.000 over your career and be the lowest earner in the field. He’s only raced ten times, and with the way that he closed out his three-year-old campaign, he’s certainly going to be adding more to that, potentially a lot more. That may start right here, as well. Dayton ran in the BC Dirt Mile, where he had one of those agonizing “close fifth” performances which is all well and good but doesn’t add to the earnings. Was much stronger in the Grade 1 Malibu, likely just running out of time in his second-place finish. He has more room to run this time.

#7- Twin Rackets (Alydar Stables, ridden by E J Wilson)- The only horse in the field to have run in the BC last November that had since run more than one time. We saw him run in the BC Dirt Mile, where he came from way out of it to be fourth. Note that he ended up passing Dayton in the stretch there, and Dayton was also closing well for his fifth-place finish. Struggled in the Cigar Handicap and then saw his fortunes with Dayton reverse in the Malibu, where that one got the better of him in the stretch. Twin Rackets certainly belongs here, but he has these occasional duds in his past performances that turn me away and towards when making a pick. Horses like that are equally able to step up and run big, however.

#8- Home Spirit (Night Rider Stables, ridden by Mar Garcia)- Last year, Home Spirit grabbed the win in the Pegasus World Cup with a late close at odds of 109/1. By the way, what is it with Night Rider and winning big races at such big prices? He’d win again a few months later at the OP Handicap, but then he went through a dry spell. It was still good enough to run in the BC Classic, but he was not the reason the trainer was cheering at the end. Did have a run last month in the Grade 3 Harlan right here at GP that he won, making him 2-for-3 lifetime here.

#9- Hangry Commander (Night Rider Stables, ridden by A Beschizza)- Sometimes, you have to wait a while for a horse to find themselves, and the patience that Night Rider had with this gelding is paying off. He had some good results before his layoff, but they were in claimers. When he re-emerged in March of last year, he went on a stretch of four wins in five starts, most of which are from overnights. The last race of that stretch was the Grade 2 Clark, so his presence is just beginning to be made at this level. I like his works and where he is trending.

#10- Apache Rise Again (Apache Warrior, ridden by L Dettori)- Apache Rise Again does indeed need to rise again, but it should not be ruled at all. Last spring, he was at his best and it culminated in a second place run in the KYD. Unfortunately, he has not been able to continue running at that level, and you actually have to go back to almost a year to the day of this race when the last time he won was. He’s had several in the money finishes since then and running third in the Grade 3 Valedictory was nice, but he was still beaten three lengths, and many of these were in bigger races around that time.

#11- Jacks Courage (Mb Stables, ridden by Ru Silvera)- After multiple wins in KYD prep races, Jack Courage seemed like a good bet for the KYD itself, and he would run well by finishing third. His biggest win was still to come, as following a runner up at the Grade 2 Dandy, he continued looking sharp at SAR by winning that meet’s biggest race, the Travers. This would mean heading into the BC Classic, he would also seem to be one of the better choices but did go off at 9/1. Ran fourth there, then second at the HOL Derby when trying the turf.

#12- Sirius Black (Arindel, ridden by C J Hernandez)- Took part in the BC Dirt Mile in November, after wins in both the $250.000 Albany and the Grade 3 OK Derby. However, he would not fire in the BC, starting near the back of the field, and only finding himself passed by others in the stretch. Arindel hoped that he could use the Harlan to get him back on track and managed a fourth-place effort. He’s worked very well in anticipation of this race but has no room for error when going up against this kind of field.

#13- Quiet Return (Allinthegate, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Not only do we have the reigning BC Classic and BC Dirt Mile winners as a part of this field, but we also have the KYD winner from 2023. That would be the only race that Quiet Return would win as a three-year-old though he was actually very consistent with hitting the board throughout the year. Of course, he just missed in the BC Classic itself, needing to settle for second in a tight photo. He ran on the grass last month in the HOL Derby, where he had been 3-for-3 in his career but did not cash a check. He’ll get his regular rider back here, and if he’s a horse that steps it up in big races, this suits him well.

#14- Individuation (Mb Stables, ridden by F Prat)- At this point, we’ve looked at the first thirteen horses and could see that the field was loaded. And we had not even gotten to Individuation! This is clearly one of the best in the game right now, making just a little shy of $8,000.000 for his career. The 2022 winner of the BC Classic went onto to run in last year’s Pegasus World Cup and ran fifth. He’d win three races during the year, highlighted by the Pacific Classic but was just sixth in the BC Classic last year. At five years old, this gelding could still have a lot of big wins in his future as there is no reason to doubt him.

Prediction: 5-2-14-4

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES