The fifth running of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational is approaching on Jan. 23, 2021. The $3 million Grade 1 race is expected to have a full field of 12 runners when they go to post at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
Post positions will be drawn and odds announced for the 1 1/8-mile race for older horses on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 1:45 p.m. EST from Gulfstream Park. You can watch the draw on the Gulfstream Park livestream.
Knicks Go will be the favorite when post positions are drawn, following the defections of Tiz the Law, Charlatan and Mucho Gusto.
Knicks Go has won 5 of 17 starts, including his last race, the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November. He ran the fastest race of his career in a wire-to-wire win to capture $520,000 and nearly double his career earnings. Still, Knicks Go arrives with the fewest credentials of any Pegasus favorite that has entered or won the race.
Here is the list of final invitees: morning line odds added at post draw.
- Coastal Defense (15-1)
- Code of Honor (9-2)
- Harpers First Ride (10-1)
- Independence Hall (20-1)
- Jesus’ Team (8-1)
- Kiss Today Goodbye (10-1)
- Knicks Go (5-2)
- Last Judgment (20-1)
- Math Wizard (20-1)
- Mr. Freeze (15-1)
- Sleepy Eyes Todd (8-1)
- Tax (5-1)
Also on the Saturday stakes schedule at Gulfstream is the $1 million Grade I Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Turf, which was first run in 2019.
Pegasus World Cup winners and what’s at stake
Favorites have won two of the four editions of the Pegasus World Cup, which started as a $12 million race in 2017 and was worth $16 million when Gun Runner took home the winner’s share of $7 million in 2018. City of Light won $4 million for his connections in 2018, when the prize pool was $9 million, and the race had a $3 million prize pool last year.
The $3 million prize pool in 2021 will award payouts of approximately $1.6 million to the winner, with the runner-up getting $550,000, third place $275,000, fourth $135,000, fifth $80,000 and sixth through 12th receiving $50,000 each.
| Year | Horse | Odds | Jockey/Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Mucho Gusto | 7/2 | I. Ortiz, Jr/B. Baffert |
| 2019 | City of Light | 9/5 | J. Castellano/M. McCarthy |
| 2018 | Gun Runner | 6/5 | F. Geroux/S. Asmussen |
| 2017 | Arrogate | 4/5 | M. Smith/B. Baffert |
The winner of the 2021 Pegasus World Cup also receives an invitation to the second running of the Saudi Cup on Feb. 20 — the world’s most valuable horse race, with a $20 million prize.
You can wager on the big race and check out the Pegasus World Cup betting guide and tips at TwinSpires.
