Gulfstream Announces $29.079 Million Stakes Schedule

The 2018-19 Championship Meet stakes schedule at Gulfstream Park will feature a record 105 stakes worth a record $29.079 million in purses, headlined by the Jan. 26 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, featuring the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $7 million Pegasus World Turf Cup (G1T), the richest stakes on dirt and turf in North America.

The 68th running of the $1 million Florida Derby (G1), a major Triple Crown prep race, will be run on a March 30 program with seven stakes, four graded.

The third running of the Pegasus World Cup, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 4-year-olds and up, was won last year by 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner . The Pegasus Turf Cup, formerly the Gulfstream Park Turf, will be contested by 4-year-olds and up over 1 3/16 miles on turf. The two grade 1 attractions will be supported by seven stakes.

The Florida Derby will again highlight Gulfstream's heralded program for 3-year-olds. Three of the last six winners of the 1 1/8-mile marquee event have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby (G1). The Florida Derby, which has produced the winners of 59 Triple Crown races, will headline a program with seven stakes worth $2.15 million, including the $300,000 Gulfstream Mile (G2), $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) for 3-year-old fillies and $250,000 Pan American (G2).

The $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2), the key 1 1/16-mile Florida Derby prep race, will top a program with nine graded stakes worth $1.65 million March 2.

The 3-year-old program will start with the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man, a one-turn mile that will be contested Jan. 5. The $350,000 Holy Bull (G2) at 1 1/16 miles will be on the Feb. 2 program that will offer four other graded stakes for 3-year-olds.

"This is truly going to be a memorable Championship Meet. There really is a major event every weekend and there will be world-championship racing every day and major events like the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, Florida Derby, Eclipse Awards and, on opening day, the Claiming Crown," Gulfstream Park General Manager Bill Badgett said. "Once again, Gulfstream's Championship Meet will have the world's top horses, horsemen and jockeys. We invite everyone to come out and take part in what will be an incredible Thoroughbred meet."

The Pegasus Turf Cup will be the centerpiece of an extensive stakes schedule on turf that will offer 33 stakes, 11 graded, during the Championship Meet, not including several starter stakes slated on turf.

The entire schedule can be viewed at: http://gulfstreampark.com/racing/schedules/stakes-schedule