Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational

The Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race, by invitation for four-year-olds and older over a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the turf track, held annually in late January or early February at Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event currently carries a purse of $1,000,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 2 March 1986, on the last day of a 71-day annual winter meeting as the Gulfstream Park Breeders Cup Handicap, the tenth race on the under-card of Florida Derby day. The event had additional sponsorship from the Breeders' Cup which gave the event immediate recognition and value. The event was won by Craig B. Singer's Irish-bred five-year-old Sondrio who started at odds of 7/1 and ran the miles distance in 1:40.60 winning by lengths.

The following year the event was held on the dirt track due to the condition of the turf track. The event had additional sponsorship from Budweiser and this reflected in the name of the race. Budweiser sponsorship continued for nine years ceasing after the 1995 running of the event.

The event was upgraded in 1990 by the American Graded Stakes Committee to a Grade III race. In 1991 the distance of the event was lengthened considerably to miles and the following year the event was upgraded to Grade II classification. In 1994 the event was transferred to the dirt track and held over a distance of miles.

After the 2007 running of the event the Breeders' Cup ceased to sponsor the event and the event was known as the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. In 2009 the distance of the event was decreased by two furlongs to miles.

In 2019 Gulfstream Park Administration created a racing series called the Pegasus World Cup and this event was rebranded as the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. In the first edition, each entrant's connections had to pay a $500,000 entry fee with the organizer adding an extra $1,000,000 for a total purse of $7,000,000. In the 2020 edition, the race adopted the Invitational format and entry fees were suppressed, so the purse was limited to the organizer contribution.

Records

Time record: miles: 1:51.60 – Zulu Alpha (2020) miles: 1:39.60 – Youmadeyourpoint (1990) miles: 1:44.45 – Warm Heart (IRE) (2024) miles: 2:10.73 – Yagli (1999)

Margins: lengths – Man from Wicklow (2003)

Most wins: 2 – Einstein (2006, 2008) 2 – Colonel Liam (2021, 2022)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Allen E. Paulson (1998, 1999) 2 – The Thoroughbred Corporation (2000, 2001) 2 – Midnight Cry Stables (2006, 2008) 2 – IEAH Stables (2009, 2010) 2 – Robert E. & Lawana L. Low (2021, 2022)

Most wins by a jockey: 7 – Jerry Bailey (1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003)

Most wins by a trainer: 5 – William I. Mott (1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefPegasus World Cup Turf Invitational2026Test Score4Manny FrancoH. Graham MotionAmerman Racing miles1:47.04$937,800I2025Spirit of St Louis 6Tyler GaffalioneChad BrownMadaket Stables, Michael Dubb & Richard Schermerhorn miles1:44.50$928,400 I2024Warm Heart (IRE)4Ryan MooreAidan O'BrienDerrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerburg miles1:44.45$952,300 I 2023Atone6Irad Ortiz Jr.Michael J. MakerThree Diamonds Farm miles1:46.19$981,400I2022Colonel Liam5Irad Ortiz Jr.Todd A. PletcherRobert E. & Lawana L. Low1:48.00$982,300 I2021Colonel Liam4Irad Ortiz Jr.Todd A. PletcherRobert E. & Lawana L. Low miles1:53.09$981,700 I2020Zulu Alpha 7Tyler GaffalioneMichael J. MakerMichael Hui miles1:51.60$982,300I2019Bricks and Mortar 5Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad BrownKlaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence miles1:54.59$6,708,329IGulfstream Park Turf Stakes2018Heart to Heart 7Julien R. LeparouxBrian A. Lynch Terry Hamilton miles1:47.64$300,000IGulfstream Park Turf Handicap 2017 Almanaar (GB)5Joel RosarioChad BrownShadwell Racing miles1:45.63$350,000I2016 Lukes Alley 6Paco LopezJosie CarrollMelnyk Racing Stables miles1:48.20$350,000I2015 Mshawish 5Javier CastellanoTodd A. Pletcher Al Shaqab Racing miles1:47.22 $300,000I2014 Lochte 4 Orlando Bocachica Marcus J. Vitali Crossed Sabres Farm miles1:45.67 $300,000I2013Point of Entry5John VelazquezClaude R. McGaughey IIIPhipps Stable miles1:47.00 $300,000I2012 Get Stormy 6Ramon DomínguezThomas Bush Mary Sullivan miles1:52.78 $300,000I2011Teaks North 4Jose Valdivia Jr. Justin Sallusto Jules Boutelle miles1:46.39 $300,000I2010† Court Vision5Robby AlbaradoRichard E. Dutrow Jr.IEAH Stables, Resolute Group Stables & WinStar Farm miles1:46.84 $300,000I2009Kip Deville6Richard E. Dutrow Jr.IEAH Stables, John A. & Andrew Cohen, Steve Cobb & Doug Robertson miles1:45.70$300,000IGulfstream Park Turf Stakes 2008Einstein (BRZ)6Jose LezcanoHelen Pitts Midnight Cry Stables miles2:12.87$273,000IGulfstream Park Breeder's Cup Turf Stakes 2007Jambalaya5Javier Castellano Catherine Day Phillips Todd & Catherine Day Phillips miles2:12.28$289,000IGulfstream Park Breeder's Cup Stakes 2006Einstein (BRZ)4Rafael BejaranoHelen Pitts Midnight Cry Stables miles2:23.91$190,000IGulfstream Park Breeder's Cup Handicap 2005 Prince Arch 4Brice BlancKenneth McPeekRay Cottrell Sr. miles2:11.44$230,000I2004 Hard Buck (BRZ)5Edgar PradoKenneth McPeekTeam Victory I miles2:11.56$190,000I2003 Man from Wicklow 6Jerry BaileyRichard A. Violette Jr.Richard A. Violette Jr. miles2:11.62$194,000I2002Cetewayo8Cornelio VelásquezMichael DickinsonDr. John A. Chandler miles2:17.44$200,000I2001 Subtle Power (IRE)4Pat DayWilliam I. MottThe Thoroughbred Corporation miles2:13.50$140,000I2000Royal Anthem5Jerry BaileyWilliam I. MottThe Thoroughbred Corporation miles2:11.34$194,000I1999§ Yagli6Jerry BaileyWilliam I. MottAllen E. Paulson miles2:10.73$200,000I1998 Flag Down 8José A. SantosChristophe ClementAllen E. Paulson miles2:12.59$189,000II1997Lassigny6Jerry BaileyWilliam I. Mott Prince Sultan Modc Saud Al Kabeer miles2:11.33$169,150II1996Celtic Arms (FR)5Mike E. SmithRodney RashGary A. Tanaka miles2:13.90$169,800II1995Misil7 José A. SantosChristophe ClementHorafuki Kai miles2:12.41$157,000II1994 Strolling Along 4Jerry BaileyOgden Phipps miles2:05.01 $149,250 II1993Stagecraft (GB)6Jerry BaileyWilliam I. MottDarley Stud miles2:13.24$156,000II1992 5Jerry BaileyChristophe Clement Paul de Moussac miles2:15.71$158,550II1991 Shy Tom 5Craig PerretD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm miles2:14.70$158,000III 1990 Youmadeyourpoint 4 Douglas Valiente Eugene Navarro Stanley M. Ersoff miles1:39.60$157,600III1989Equalize7José A. SantosAngel Penna Sr.A. J. Menditeguy Stable miles1:41.20$155,350 1988 Salem Drive 6Gene St. Leon Thomas J. Skiffington Jr. Virginia Kraft Payson miles1:40.60$157,5501987 Bolshoi Boy 4Randy RomeroHoward M. TesherArthur Belford & John Greathouse Jr. miles1:44.60$133,8101986Sondrio (IRE)5José A. SantosHoward M. TesherCraig B. Singer miles1:40.60$134,620

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

† In the 2010 running of the event Take The Points was first past but was disqualified for interference in the straight and placed fifth and Court Vision was declared the winner.

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap top three finishers Pegasus World Cup

References