Hold onto your hats horse racing fans as the top-class action is back this Saturday with all-star field of 12 Pegasus World Cup Invitational runners heading to post for the $3m Gulfstream Park Grade One.
Cyberknife Tops 12 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Runners
The Brad H Cox-trained Cyberknife tops the field and the best horse racing betting sites have priced him up as the one to beat, but let’s take a look at the full Pegasus World Cup runners and riders, plus their latest betting odds from BetOnline and see if there’s anything that can beat the sportsbook favorite.
1. PROXY
Age: 5
Trainer: Michael Stidham
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Betting Odds: 9-2
Verdict: Won’t Be Far Away
Won last time out of the Grade 1 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov 25 and has a super consistent profile with 11 top three finishes from 13 starts. Owned by Godolphin, this 5 year-old has done most of his running at Fair Grounds (7 runs) and would be having his first start at Gulfstream in the 2023 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes.
Gate one looks a big plus and will be ridden by Joel Rosario, who won the Pegasus in 2021. Looks a leading player and it will be hard to keep him out of any Trifecta picks.
2. SIMPLIFICATION
Age: 4
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Jockey: Paco Lopez
Betting Odds: 25-1
Verdict: More Needed
Last seen running third behind Skippylongstocking in the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes, so has 2 1/4 lengths to find with that Saffie A Joseph Jr runner. Also finished 4th in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs last year, but is also yet to land a Grade 1 success – his best finish being in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain Of Youth Stakes, which on a plus did come at Gulfstream Park.
Overall, proven course form, but a bit to find.
3. RIDIN WITH BIDEN
Age: 5
Trainer: Robert E Reid Jr
Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo
Betting Odds: 33-1
Verdict: Bit To Prove At This Level
Recent runs have come at Parx and despite winning last time out at that track this is a big step up in class. On a plus, has gate 3 and has won over 1m4f in the past so the trip will be fine, but likely to find several too good here at the top level.
4. WHITE ABARRIO
Age: 4
Trainer: Saffie A Joseph Jr
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Betting Odds: 9-1
Verdict: Course Winner With a Big Chance
Popular grey (white) horse that was last on the track when running third at Aqueduct in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap on Dec 3, 2022. Has won four of his 10 career starts with the best success for this Saffie A, Joseph runner was when taking the Florida Derby at Gulfstream last April.
The main plus ahead of his chance is that he loves it here at Gulfstream – all 4 career wins have been at the Florida venue – back at his favoured track, that clearly bring out the best in him, so looks to have a live chance of cutting down Cyberknife.
5. DEFUNDED
Age: 5
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
Betting Odds: 9-2
Verdict: Improver From a Powerful 2-Time Pegasus Winning Barn
From the top barn of Bob Baffert, that has won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes twice before (2017 & 2020).
This 5 year-old was last in action on Nov 27, 2022 when an easy winner of the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar. Prior to that success, he won the Grade One Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita (Oct 2), beating the useful Country Grammer by 1 3/4 lengths (watch below).
With 5 career wins (from 13 starts) and proven form at the highest level, then Defunded rates one of the leading 2023 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes runners at this year’s renewal. Expected to go well from gate 5 and a big option away from Cyberknife.
6. ART COLLECTOR
Age: 6
Trainer: William Mott
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Betting Odds: 7/1
Verdict: Useful On His Day, But Might Be Too Old
One of the older Pegasus World Cup runners at 6 and with all of the previous six winners aged 4 or 5 would have this key stat to overcome. But is a high-class horse on his day, having won the 2021 Grade One Woodward Stakes and showed last summer he’s still got his ability when taking the G2 Charles Town Classic Stakes with ease.
Place claims, but might just succumb to some younger legs.
7. SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING:
Age: 4
Trainer: Saffie A Joseph Jr
Jockey: Jose L Ortiz
Betting Odds: 9-1
Verdict: Course Winner With Solid Place Claims
From the Saffie Joseph Jr barn, this 4 year-old has won 4 of his 12 starts, including most recently at Gulfstream Park on New Year’s Eve, when taking the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes by 2 lengths, and has now raced 8 times at the Pegasus World Cup venue. He was also 5th in the 2022 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico and 3rd in the 2022 Belmont Stakes.
Proven course form a big plus and another of the alternatives from Cyberknife, that has a real chance of scooping this generous pot.
8. GET HER NUMBER
Age: 5
Trainer: Peter Miller
Jockey: Luis Saez
Betting Odds: 16-1
Verdict: Stamina The Big Issue
A close second in the Grade One Cigar Mile last time at Aqueduct on Dec 3, but recent wins have come over shorter (6f and 7f). Expected to make full use of his pace, but the worry would be his stamina lasting out in a race with many proven performers at the trip.
9. LAST SAMURAI
Age: 5
Trainer: D Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Frankie Dettori
Betting Odds: 33-1
Verdict: Well Beaten By Proxy Recently
Ridden by Frankie Dettori, who will be having his third ride in the race, but has only beaten one horse home from those two outings. Trained by veteran trainer D Wayne Lukas and the reports coming out of the yard is that the horse is ‘super fit’. But has 7 lengths to find with Proxy on his 4th at Churchill Downs two runs back in the Grade 1 Clark Stakes, so even a ‘super fit’ Last Samurai might not be good enough.
10. CYBERKNIFE:
Age: 4
Trainer: Brad H Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Betting Odds: 15-8 fav
Verdict: Form Pick, But Wide Draw and Longer Trip Possible Negatives
Last in action running second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (watch below) at Keeneland on Nov 5, 2022 and from his 12 career starts has only been out the frame twice, with 5 victories. The biggest wins to date for this Brad H Cox runner, who is also sired by the 2018 Pegasus World Cup winner Gun Runner, came in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes (Jul 23, 2022) and the Grade 1 Matt Winn Stakes (Jun 12, 2022).
Has the form in the book to make him the one to beat and will certainly be a big pick for punters with the Cox yard also winning the Pegasus in 2021 with Knicks Go.
However, those looking to take him on might cling to his tough campaign last season and also being drawn wide in 10. Add in that his is also a step back up in trip (1m1f) a possible negative after getting caught last time over a mile, then it’s not too hard to pick a few holes in this chances.
11. STILLETO BOY:
Age: 5
Trainer: Ed Moger Jr
Jockey: Mike E Smith
Betting Odds: 28-1
Verdict: Top Jockey That Could Out Run Odds
Will have plenty of experience in the saddle with Mike E Smith riding, who won this race on Arrogate in 2017. Was well behind Flightline at Del Mar back in September, but so were a lot of horses last season! Most recently in action when second to Country Grammer in the San Antonio Stakes on Boxing Day – fair form and could out run his odds, but overall in terms of his win chance – others in the race are preferred.
12. O’CONNOR
Age: 5
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Betting Odds: 25-1
Verdict: More Needed and Wide Draw Make Life Tough
Second string from the Saffie Joseph Jr yard and actually ran 4 1/4 lengths behind his stablemate last time – Skippylongstocking – so that tells it’s own story. On a plus, is lightly-raced so there could be more to come, but gate 12 makes life harder still.
