Official Invitations Made for Pegasus World Cup

Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security and Fox Hill Farm's Omaha Beach  lead a list of 17 horses formally invited Jan. 5 to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The fourth running of the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus—past winners are Arrogate  (2017), Gun Runner  (2018), and City of Light  (2019)—will be run Jan. 25 along with the second running of the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T).

The Stronach Group, which owns the Pegasus World Cup series, announced horses in both races would compete free of any medications on race day, a policy consistent with International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities standards. The owners also announced that 2% of the purses will return to Thoroughbred aftercare.

Omaha Beach, who shipped from California to Gulfstream Park on New Year's Eve, is trained by Richard Mandella and will be ridden by Mike Smith. The son of War Front  was favored in the 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) off victories in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Rebel Stakes (G2) but was scratched three days before the classic because of complications from an entrapped epiglottis.

The 4-year-old colt returned in the fall to win the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1) and finish second in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). He enters the Pegasus off an impressive victory Dec. 28 in the Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita.

Maximum Security will likely bypass the Pegasus, with West stating his intentions of running the colt in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh Feb. 29. The colt trained by Jason Servis is at Palm Meadows Training Center.

McKinzie, trained by Bob Baffert, most recently finished second to Vino Rosso  in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). McKinzie's stablemate Roadster has also been invited to the Pegasus. Winner of the 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1), the 4-year-old colt finished second in the Malibu in his most recent start.

Spun to Run, a 4-year-old son of Hard Spun , won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and followed that performance with a second-place finish behind Maximum Security in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1).

Magic Wand has been invited to both the Pegasus World Cup and Pegasus World Cup Turf. Trained by Aidan O'Brien and based in Ireland, Magic Wand finished second last year in the Pegasus Turf. The 5-year-old mare has raced in France, England, the U.S., and Japan. Second in last year's Arlington Million XXXVII (G1T), Magic Wand comes to Florida off a second-place finish in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) in December and a victory in the Nov. 9 Seppelt MacKinnon Stakes (G1) in Australia. 

Seeking the Soul is hoping the third time in the Pegasus will be the charm. The 7-year-old son of Perfect Soul finished second to City of Light in last year's Pegasus and was fifth in the 2018 edition. Seeking the Soul is being prepared at Fair Grounds with trainer Dallas Stewart.

Eight Grade/Group 1 Winners Among 17 Invited to Pegasus Turf

Grade/group 1 winners and millionaires Arklow, Magic Wand, Henley's Joy, Next Shares, Sadler's Joy, and Starship Jubilee—and seven other graded stakes winners—are among a list of 17 horses invited to the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf.

The second running of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up will be contested as part of a $5.2 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational program of nine stakes, six graded, led by the Pegasus World Cup on dirt.

Bricks and Mortar won the inaugural edition of the Pegasus Turf last year to launch a perfect season that has him favored to earn Eclipse Awards as both male grass champion and Horse of the Year.

Seven-year-old gelding Next Shares finished seventh in the race last year. 

Trained by Richard Baltas, Next Shares capped his 2019 season by adding the Nov. 30 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar to his graded wins in the 2018 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) and 2019 San Gabriel Stakes (G2T). In his only other try at Gulfstream, he broke his maiden in his 3-year-old debut in January 2016 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Woodslane Farm's 7-year-old homebred Sadler's Joy is a two-time graded winner on the Gulfstream turf, capturing the 2017 Pan American Stakes (G2T) and 2018 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T). The grade 1 winner has won or placed in 18 of 26 starts, with more than $2.47 million in earnings.

Blue Heaven Farm's Florida-bred Starship Jubilee has raced 16 times at Gulfstream, including wins in the 2018 and 2019 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Stakes. The 7-year-old mare has seven stakes wins, including the 2019 E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.

Trainer Chad Brown won last year's Pegasus Turf with Bricks and Mortar and has three horses on the invitation list—Instilled Regard, Without Parole, and first alternate Sacred Life. Instilled Regard prepped for the Pegasus Turf with a half-length score in the Dec. 14 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream, his second start off a six-month layoff.

Without Parole won the 2018 St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and made his North American debut Nov. 2 in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), running third to stablemate Uni, an Eclipse Award finalist for female turf champion. Sacred Life won the Prix Thomas Bryon (G3) as a 2-year-old in his native France and owns one win from four starts in the U.S. He finished second in the Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) and Seabiscuit last year.