Top Breeders’ finishers set to run
While the field has been slow to fill up for the second running of the $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational, the world’s richest horse race promises plenty of fast contenders later this month at Gulfstream Park.
Five of the top six finishers in November’s Breeders’ Cup Classic are set to vie for the $7 million winner’s purse in the 11⁄8-mile Pegasus on Jan. 27. That group is led by Gun Runner, expected to be named North America’s Horse of the Year two days before the race.
Only missing is Arrogate, winner of the inaugural Pegasus, who retired after finishing tied for fifth in the Classic.
“To have the quality of horses that are going to run in this race, it’s like a Breeders’ Cup Classic Day,” said Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of Gulfstream Park.
The other marquee names are Collected, West Coast and War Story, along with Gunnervera, which finished in a dead heat with Arrogate for fifth in the Classic and is trained by Gulfstream-based Antonio Sano.
In addition, Stellar Wind, the top 3-year-old filly in 2015, is prepping at Palm Meadows in Palm Beach County and will be the first filly or mare to run in the Pegasus.
Still to be determined are the final two entries in the 12-horse field. Unlike last year when all slots were filled, at $1 million apiece, within a week, the Pegasus didn’t sell out this time.
The Stronach Group, which owns Gulfstream Park, bought the three slots that weren’t sold by the deadline last month and is making them available in revenue-sharing partnerships. One of those spots was filled earlier this week by the owners of Giant Expectations, inspired by a year-end upset win in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.
Ritvo said discussions are ongoing with four or five groups and he expects to finalize deals for the final two berths within the next few days. Toast of New York and Seeking the Soul are the others set so far.
Frank Stronach, the 85year-old billionaire who owns Gulfstream and conceived the Pegasus World Cup, hasn’t announced the horse that will run as his Adena Springs entry. Last year, Adena Springs-bred Shaman Ghost finished second.
Clearly, The Stronach Group has a lot at stake in this event, having bankrolled four of the $1 million entries to ensure a field of 12 and adding $4 million to boost the purse from the world-record $12 million of last year.
The first Pegasus was a resounding success with a celebrity-laden audience drawn by the high-stakes showdown between Arrogate and two-time American Horse of the Year California Chrome.
The $40.21 million wagered that day was a record for Gulfstream, topping the $32.08 million handle for the 2016 Florida Derby.
But many of those who bought into the race took a hit of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Each starter was guaranteed $250,000, and received a split from sponsorships and wagers, but only the top three horses shared in the prize purse.
This time every horse that starts will be assured of a return of at least $650,000, and the top five finishers will get shares of the remaining $8.2 million with $7 million again to the winner. All entrants will also share in the revenue.
“Every participant gets a minimum race fee. That’s not unusual. It might be unusual that it’s that high,” Ritvo said of the $650,000 guarantee. “It really was a true investment for the shareholders. The guys that bought in got a good chance and the down side is only $350,000. … We want them to understand that this is a partnership and we’re all in this together to be successful.” Ritvo acknowledged that the event is still evolving and may take a few years to settle into a lasting format that works for horsemen and fans.
“I just think you’re going to see another great horse race that wouldn’t be on the calendar if it wasn’t for Mr. Stronach’s vision of bringing this race up,” he said. “Horses at this level only meet up one or two or three times a year, tops. And they only do it because the purse money is so big.
“These horses would never be running in South Florida if it wasn’t for this event.”
While last year was viewed almost as a match race between Arrogate and California Chrome — the latter ultimately disappointed, fading to ninth — there appears to be more opportunity in this field despite Gun Runner opening as a clear favorite. (Wynn Las Vegas put him at 3-1).
The 5-year-old merits the distinction after working three-quarters of a mile in 1:10 at New Orleans’ Fair Grounds on Dec. 31, a performance trainer Steve Asmussen declared “amazing.”
It certainly was attention grabbing, considering that out of 78 races conducted at six furlongs during the Fair Grounds meet through Saturday, only nine had gone faster than Gun Runner’s work, according to Brisnet.com.
But Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who saddled Arrogate in last year’s dominating Pegasus Cup win, presents a dual challenge with West Coast and Collected. Both recorded solid workouts Wednesday in California, with Collected turning five furlongs in 59 seconds and West Coast going six furlongs in 1:12.
Afterward, Baffert told racing writers that tactics were wrong when Collected, normally a frontrunner, started slow and finished 31⁄2 lengths behind Giant Expectations in the recent San Antonio Stakes.
That was jockey Mike Smith’s first race on Collected. With that experience behind them, when Smith gets to Gulfstream he will be looking to reprise the magic of Arrogate’s 43⁄4-length runaway win a year ago.
“This is a very, very tough handicapping race,” Ritvo said. “If you think you can just single Gun Runner you’re jeopardizing your money, because there’s a lot of good horses ready to go there.”
Another change from last year is general admission for the Pegasus Cup has been lowered to $75 from $100, a price that alienated some Gulfstream regulars last year. Premium packages range up to $1,000.
Tickets are available online at pegasusworldcup.com or by calling 833-4647924 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. seven days a week.
cldavis@sun-sentinel .com, Twitter @CraigDavisRuns