The Pegasus World Cup field was solidified early this week and now a full group of 12 are pointing to the monumental event on January 28. The entries will be drawn next week when the cast will be in cement.
The nine-furlong extravaganza will be run at Gulfstream Park and with a purse of $12 million, this is the world’s richest race. Here is a brief rundown of the players.
The two favorites headlining the Pegasus World Cup field will be California Chrome and Arrogate. The rest of the Pegasus World Cup field will be comprised of Keen Ice, Neolithic, Shaman Ghost, Eragon, War Story, War Envoy, Breaking Lucky, Ralis, Noble Bird, and Prayer for Relief
Keen Ice proved his mettle winning the Travers beating Triple Crown champ American Pharoah in 2015. He did run a distant third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and his connections were not dissatisfied with his second at Gulfstream on December 17.
Neolithic has two major things in his favor. He is unbeaten at Gulfstream and he just posted a career best 103 Beyer Speed Figure.
Shaman Ghost is the ‘house horse’, as he is owned by Frank Stronach, who owns Gulfstream Park. The Ghost can be scary at times as he stepped up and won the Grade 1 Woodward last year.
Eragon joins the Pegasus World Cup field via Argentina. He has won half of his 20 starts but will get the test of his life later this month.
War Story is coming to this race right. He has been handled in his Grade 1 efforts so far but he just won his last start in the Queens County at Aqueduct in facile fashion.
War Envoy will basically just fill out the Pegasus World Cup field. He blanked last year and has never won in the United States. His claim to fame is that he did beat 27 horses in his last win but that race was on grass.
Breaking Lucky nearly blew up the tote board last time when second in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at 46-1. His best asset could be his positional speed.
Ralis will need a rebound run. He basically has made his living off one race, his win in the Grade 1 Hopeful in 2015. The Doug O’Neill student has lost his last six races, all on the turf.
Noble Bird figures to take his share of action in this showcase. He was bothered at the start in his last race and never got untracked. He has plenty of back class to draw from and he is in the good hands of Mark Casse. This runner is by the Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone and out a dam that is a daughter of 2-time Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Tiznow.
Prayer for Relief has been in a major slump. The racer has earned more than $2 million in his career but is winless in his last 20 starts. On the plus side, Prayer for Relief ran fourth in the Grade 1 Donn and third in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope at Gulfstream Park.
Prayer for Relief spend time in Dubai and it was basically a disaster. He will have to show his back class to be a factor in the Pegasus World Cup.
Just like with newborns, inaugural races have to crawl before they can walk. The feeling is that this Pegasus World Cup field will not be the best group that is ever assembled. This race is just a starting point of something that could be huge moving forward. Remember, the naysayers were out in full force when the Breeders’ Cup started and that affair has just grown and grown.
The unique situation of shareholders putting up $1 million to earn a berth in this race brings back memories of how horseracing used to be in the Wild West. In those days, it was ‘my horse is better than your horse so let’s rumble’.
If bettors can find that magical runner, outside of California Chrome or Arrogate, they will get paid in spades.
Next up will be an early morning line on the Pegasus World Cup field. Stay tuned.
Pegasus World Cup Field Solidified
