We’re set to see some big weekend graded horse races taking place at tracks like Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park. One such event is the Pegasus World Cup series, which attracts some of the best runners in the sport. Let’s take a look at the odds for some of this weekend’s top graded horse races.
Gulfstream Park Race 11 – Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. (G1)
Horse Odds
Colonel Liam +350
Largent +450
Anothertwistafate +500
Say the Word +600
Social Paranoia +800
North Dakota +1000
Breaking the Rule +1000
Storm the Court +1200
Pixelate +1500
Cross Border +1500
Next Shares +2000
Aquaphobia +2000
Colonel Liam Leading the Turf Field
The Pegasus turf field is being led by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher’s Colonel Liam, who is coming in at +350. This will be his first graded stakes outing, with his first career start taking place less than a year ago.
Eclipse Award finalist Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the call as jockey.
The second choice at +450, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Twin Creek Racing Stables’ Largent is coming off a win in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) on Dec. 12 at Gulfstream.
At +800, The Elkstone Group’s Social Paranoia took an allowance optional claimer on Dec. 16 and won the Appleton Stakes (G3T) locally back in March. He will be another big name to watch out for in the field.
This will be a highly competitive race, as four of the 12 entries are one-time grade 1 winners. Those names are Next Shares, Storm the Court, Aquaphobia, and Say the Word.
Gulfstream Park Race 12 – Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. (G1)
Horse Odds
Knicks Go +250
Code of Honor +450
Tax +450
Sleepy Eyes Todd +800
Jesus’ Team +825
Harpers First Ride +1000
Kiss Today Goodbye +1000
Mr Freeze +1500
Math Wizard +2000
Last Judgement +2000
Independence Hall +2000
Coastal Defense +2000
Knicks Go Tops Pegasus World Cup Field
The biggest name coming into this race, one of the bigger weekend graded horse races, is the +250 favorite Knicks Go. Owned by Korea Racing Authority and trained by Brad Cox, the 5-year-old Paynter horse won the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
Another big name to look out for is Will Farish’s homebred 2019 Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Code of Honor. Coming in at +450, he will break from Post 10 for trainer Shug McGaughey.
There are some question marks surrounding runners like Sleepy Eyes Todd, who is coming in at +800. While he is undoubtedly an impressive runner, having won races like the Charles Town Classic (G2) at the Pegasus’ 1 1/8-mile distance in August, he has yet to prove himself at the grade 1 level.
In his most recent start, he took the Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream in December.
A solid choice that could pay well at +1000 is Harpers First Ride. He took 10 of 17 career starts and has finished first or second in his last six races, including the Pimlico Special last fall.
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