Saturday’s megacard at Gulfstream Park, headlined by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup, gets tremendous undercard support from the $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf as well as the $1 million 1/ST BET Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. First post is 11 am ET on the 13-race program.
Horseplayers on the 1/ST BET and Xpressbet platforms can enjoy $20,000 in various Hit & Split promotions throughout the multi-race wagering lineup.
Let’s meet the contenders for the 1/ST BET Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (Race 12):
#1-ATONE: Defending champion in the PWC Turf could become the race’s first two-time winner. Versatile pace style comes in handy from the rail and he’s won 2 of his last 3 at this mile and one-eighth distance. Internationally acclaimed jockey Oisin Murphy rides for the first time on this Mike Maker trainee.
#2-JERRY THEN NIPPER: Blinkers go on for the first time after a spotty run in the Fort Lauderdale, the New York-bred’s first local start. Beaten only a half-length when third that day despite losing position mid-race in traffic and re-rallying. Todd Pletcher turns again to Jose Ortiz on this 7-year-old who has made only 20 starts, winning 6.
#3-INTEGRATION: Unbeaten upstart has won the Virginia Derby and Hill Prince Stakes in his last two starts for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey. This $700K son of the classy turf mare Harmonize didn’t debut until August of his 3-year-old season, but could be on the fast track to divisional stardom with a win. This will be his first stakes bid against older horses and he draws Tyler Gaffalione back to the saddle.
#4-I’M VERY BUSY: Chad Brown found Preakness glory with this colt’s sire Cloud Computing, and he’ll have leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard as they look to upset the PWC Turf. Distant runner-up to Integration in the Hill Prince is 0-3 in stakes so far.
#5-WEBSLINGER: Long sophomore season ranged February through December, winning 3 of 9, including the American Turf on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard. No stranger to big events and crowds, he was a rallying third in the Twilight Derby on Breeders’ Cup Saturday at Santa Anita. Mark Casse gives a leg up to jockey Edgard Zayas for the first time aboard this son of Florida Derby winner Constitution.
#6-KINGMAX: Irish-bred has won half of his 4 domestic starts since exporting from the UK, both allowance races last summer at Monmouth. Strong second at 17-1 in the local Fort Lauderdale prep while making his first start at Gulfstream for trainer Jorge Delgado. He’ll be piloted once again by 24-year-old rising Irish jockey David Egan.
#7-ADHAMO: Light 2023 season saw just 3 starts, finishing a disappointing 10th at 54-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. But he placed in the Grade 1 Arlington Million and Grade 1 Canadian International prior to that, and was a Grade 1 United Nations winner in 2022. Former French performer gets regular domestic rider Flavien Prat back in the saddle, always a dangerous jockey-trainer combo paired with Chad Brown.
#8-MASTER PIECE: Seventh in this race last year when defeated by 3 lengths, this 8-year-old veteran comes off a victory in November’s Grade 2 Red Smith at Aqueduct. Chip Dutrow will be the fourth trainer of record in the last 14 months, assuming the duties here in name from his brother, Rick. Jose Lezcano, who rode him to victory at the Big A, returns to the saddle aboard a colt who placed over the local turf in 2023’s Mac Diarmida and Pan American.
#9-WARM HEART (pictured above): Star filly from Aidan O’Brien’s yard in Ireland has been a world traveler with repute through 10 starts, winning half. She was a neck runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and then a strong third in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase against the boys at Sha Tin. A deserving 9-5 morning line favorite, she gets in at 118 pounds Saturday, 5 less than her male rivals on the weight allowance. Ryan Moore returns to ride the multiple Group 1 winner in the UK and France.
#10-SHIRL’S SPEIGHT: The Group 1 Maker’s Mark Mile winner from 2022 has lost 10 straight, but those defeats include a runner-up in the ’22 Breeders’ Cup Mile and the ’23 Woodbine Mile. Exits a better-than-looks eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita, beaten only 2-1/2 lengths in a very strong edition of that race. First local start for 7-year-old who has made just 19 career starts, and note her $1.6 million-earning mama Perfect Shirt was 0-2 on the Gulfstream lawn. Luis Saez rides for Hall of Famer Roger Attfield.
#11-MAIN EVENT: Wire-to-wire upset winner of the local prep, the Fort Lauderdale, at 11-1 odds. Veteran jockey Javier Castellano long has been a front-end turf maestro and applied familiar tactics last out to beat PWC Turf return rivals Kingmax and Jerry the Nipper. Likely to challenge Jerry the Nipper once again for the engine, despite the wide post position draw. His 4: 3-1-0 record over the GP lawn stands out.
#12-CATNIP: World renowned jockey Frankie Dettori picks up the mount here for Mike Stidham. This son of Kitten’s Joy has been away since August’s Arlington Million when a disappointing eighth. Strong summer at Monmouth Park, winning a stakes and finishing second in the Grade 1 United Nations. Stalking style in terms of pace will be challenged by wide draw, but he’s in elite hands.
#13-GRAND SONATA (AE) and #14-ANGLOPHILE (AE): Both also-eligible runners are cross-entered in the W.L. McKnight (Race 8) and will require a scratch in order to draw into the PWC Turf field.
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