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 24, 2026
It’s the first major race of 2026, as a $3,000.000 purse in on the line with the annual Pegasus World Cup. The race naturally attracts some of the best virtual horses running, and the field is loaded with those that ran in the BC, including two of them that won one of those races. This will be the sixth time that the Pegasus World Cup has run with a $3,000.000 purse and the tenth anniversary of the race officially becoming this from the Donn Handicap. In 2025, Blazing got the win for Maxmillion Farm, which was won of his seven career wins but it would unfortunately be his last hurrah, as he came out of it flat and has since been retired. Other recent winners include Spankersville, Tactical, and State Police. Fourteen are entered, and here’s the run through the field!
1- Star Vault (Mb Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- Star Vault is one of the few in here that did not run in the BC, but that doesn’t mean that this Mb Stables runner isn’t ready for the challenge. He may be a bit of a late bloomer, and began to show his true form late in the year, with back to back wins. In October, he won his stake debut in the $175.000 Downs by three lengths, then followed that up by winning his graded debut by two in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap. Each of those victories was done with a very different running style.
2- Fried Chicken (Angelos Stable, ridden by S Elliott)- In August, Fried Chicken cooked the competition in the Grade 1 Whitney at SAR and earned the automatic starting spot into the BC Classic. That win was sandwiched between two disappointing efforts, coming in the Foster and the JC Gold Cup, so there was not a lot optimism about his chances in the BC Classic. The 18/1 longshot may have done a little better in that race than some thought, but you don’t get anything for placing sixth. Dropped down in class last month here for the Grade 3 Harlan, a seemingly good landing spot to get his confidence back, but he could only be fourth and was beaten by four. If you think this is the day he recaptures Whitney form, bet on him, but I’ll pass.
3- No Real Drama (Asgar, ridden by B Curtis)- After a successful three year old campaign, the gelding looks to move and sustain that track record for years to come. He didn’t run in the KYD, but that would not matter two weeks after in the PRK, when he won and put the rest of the virtual world on notice. Though the finishing position doesn’t show it, he was competitive in the BEL, ran third in the Haskell followed by a win in the PA Derby. All of that seemed to add up to him having a good shot in the BC Classic, but it would not be his day. This is his first race since.
4- Charlie Jace (Mb Stables, ridden by R Santana Jr)- He was part of Pegasus day last year, running in the World Cup Turf, and earning the fourth place check. At the time, he was red hot on the grass, but as that began to fizzle out during the spring months, his trainer moved him back to the main track. Some distance was also added, and it paid off, running second in the Suburban and the JC Gold Cup, each at SAR, before heading west for the Grade 1 Goodwood at SA. A strong win there, with a 103 SRF to show for it, officially got him into the BC Classic, a race where he was respectable fifth. Now, he begins his five year old campaign.
5- General Zod (Royalty Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- The General was also a part of the BC, but he was seen in the BC Sprint. To get there, he successfully got back on his distance in July by winning the Grade 1 Crosby at DMR, where his spot in that race was clinched. Continued to run well and put together triple digit SRF’s, but did not factor into the BC Sprint’s finish itself. Following that, it was back to running long, and General Zod couldn’t have been any better, winning the Grade 2 Clark. He’s one of those horses that you can see being lost in the shuffle of other big names in this field, but he is very capable.
6- All Take (Alydar Stables, ridden by E J Zayas)- The veteran gelding will enter his seven year old season while hoping to duplicate his strong 2025. He started the year red hot, and even earned a 104 SRF with his win in February at OP in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap. Though that hot streak did ultimately settle down, he would continue to get mostly consistent results, and won again at the Grade 3 MTH Cup in July. Ran in the BC Classic to end the year, and finished in the middle of the field. Looking far back, he was a runner in this race in 2023 but was a non-factor.
7- Fawkes (Delta Farms, ridden by F Pennington)- Etched his name into the history books when he came from off the pace to win the BC Classic in a photo last fall. The victory came while starting near the outside, and was as about a 24/1 longshot. It would cap off a year that saw three wins, which also included the Haskell over the summer. Now, it is time to see what this four year old has in store for us as he kicks off his 2026, and I wouldn’t expect him to come at such a high price this time around.
8- Without Warning (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by F Geroux)- While he did not win the BC Classic, Without Warning also had a strong three year old season that saw him make that race and cash the fourth place check. He did only win once on the year, coming in the Risen Star in February, but he had a close call in the BEL, where he was edged out by Extreme Jet in a photo at the wire. Also would end up running second in the Travers over the summer, so even though he might not stack up the wins, he’s consistent against the best of the best.
9- Quiet Return (John Henry, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- After a long career with Allinthegate, Quiet Return was purchased by John Henry for $300.000 in February and made five starts for his new trainer. He had been running well before the sale, but perhaps was showing a little inconsistency but he responded well in his new barn. He’d win twice on the year, taking the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap in June, and then later capturing JC Gold Cup at the Spa. That send him into the BC Classic, where he went off as the post time favorite, but he would have a flat performance in the middle of the field throughout. His history shows that he will bounce back from a race like that, and I would expect nothing less.
10- Berlin (The Sidley Stud, ridden by P Lopez)- Entering his eight year old season, Berlin has won over $3,800.000 in his career, and comes here off of a third place effort in the BC Classic. It was the second time that he qualified for that race, and he had finished fourth in 2024. After that race, he would run in the Pegasus World Cup, and nearly got the win, but had to settle for second to Blazing. His two wins on the year came in the Grade 3 PIM Special and the Grade 2 CT Classic, and is looking to win a Grade 1 for the first time. Perhaps, that happens now.
11- Eight West Party (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by M Franco)- This will be the 55th career start for the eight year old, and based on how his 54th start went, we can hope for continued success out of him. That race was none other than the BC Dirt Mile, where he got the win as an approximate 39/1 longshot. It was his only win on the year, so you can understand why he was at such a high price, but he had a couple impressive non-wins, which included placing third in the Whitney. It still might be hard to pick him in a field that is this deep.
12- Doc Rivers (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by Jam Rodriguez)- Doc Rivers ran in the Pegasus World Cup last year, but did not finish well. Following that, he was a bit mediocre for a while, with a win in the $200.000 Commentator Handicap for NY-breds being surrounded by less exciting results. The tide started to turn for him in Grade 2 Woodward in September, where he ran third and has hit the board ever since. Won his last race, in November, but not in the BC. Instead, it was in a PRX optional claimer.
13- Heart Of Genghis (Night Rider Stables, ridden by K Carmouche)- Picked up in February for $20.000 in private sales after a long career of free track racing and showed that he could get it done while racing for a purse as well. But not just any purse, but when running against some of the best that are out there. After taking an ungraded stake at FON, he’d later win the Grade 3 PRM Cornhusker Handicap, then more impressively, the Woodward in September. He’d find his way into the BC Dirt Mile, but was a non factor.
14- Extreme Jet (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Have we saved the best for last? Extreme Jet was impressive as a two year old, winning the Hopeful and showing that he’d be a force at three. The success kept coming for him, leading to May when he not only won the KYD, but did so by an impressive three lengths and may have had many wondering if this would be the year we’d see a TC winner. No Real Drama kept that from happening in the PRK, but Extreme Jet recovered just fine to win the BEL. Then came a win in the Travers, and a second place run in the PA Derby, leading many to think he was the BC Classic favorite. However, briefly the trainer was concerned about a work of his, something that would never be an issue when he finished as the runner up to Fawkes in BC Classic. Now, it is time to see what he can do as a four year old and all eyes will be on him. Oh, and don’t worry about the post. He’s 3-for-3 when starting from the double digits.
Prediction: 10-14-7-8
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES