Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
GULFSTREAM Gunnevera among five paid up for Pegasus World Cup
Individuals or partnerships representing five horses have paid fees to secure a starting berth in next month’s Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park, with another group paying for a slot without a named horse, according to the owner of the track and administrator of the race, The Stronach Group.
According to a release from Gulfstream Park, the latest horse to commit to the field is Gunnevera, who finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Gunnevera will join Accelerate, the winner of the Classic; two horses owned by Calumet Farm, Bravazo and True Timber; and Seeking the Soul as horses whose connections have paid the fees to secure a spot, Gulfstream said.
In addition, Coolmore, the international racing and breeding operation, has paid fees to secure a spot in the race, according to The Stronach Group. The Pegasus, which is being advertised as having a $9 million purse, with $4 million going to the winner, is scheduled for Jan. 26, anchoring a card that will also include the first running of the Pegasus World Cup Turf, which is being advertised as having a $7 million purse.
Next year’s Pegasus will be the third running of the race. The inaugural running in 2017 had a $12 million purse, with the entire amount provided by 12 groups that paid $1 million each for a starting berth. Every runner in the race that year was guaranteed $250,000 regardless of finish position. In 2018, the Stronach Group kicked in an additional $4 million to the purse to make it $16 million, but in that race, every runner was guaranteed $650,000 regardless of finish position.
For next year’s running, The Stronach Group has cut the purse to $9 million and halved the entry fee to $500,000. Every runner is guaranteed $200,000 regardless of finish position. The purse of the race was cut in order to fund the purse for the turf version of the race, which also requires a $500,000 entry fee.
It is not known so far how many owners have put up money to enter the turf race, which will be run at 1 3/16 miles. Stronach Group officials have said they are targeting European horses in an effort to increase the international appeal of the race. The winner of the turf race will receive $3 million.
Both races are capped at 12 horses each.
Stronach Group officials did not return messages on Monday.
Accelerate, a shoo-in for champion older male who will be retired to stud after the Pegasus, is expected to be the favorite in the Pegasus. In both of the race’s previous runnings, the favorite won.