Gold Square's Cyberknife ; Karl Watson, Michael Pegram, and Paul Weitman's Defunded; and Godolphin's Proxy top the first invitational list for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park released Jan. 4.
The 7th running of the Pegasus World Cup, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 4-year-olds and up, will be featured on the Jan. 28 program at Gulfstream Park with the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T), and the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for older fillies and mares on the turf.
The first invitation list includes 12 of North America's finest older horses, as well as a list of eight reserve invitees.
Cyberknife, a multiple grade 1 stakes-winning son of 2018 Pegasus World Cup champion Gun Runner , was among the most prominent 3-year-olds of the 2022 racing season, during which the colt won the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1). He most recently finished second by a head to Cody's Wish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland.
Cyberknife is scheduled to make his final career start in the Pegasus for trainer Brad Cox before embarking on a stallion career. Cox saddled Knicks Go for a victory in the 2021 Pegasus World Cup and a second-place finish last year behind Life Is Good .
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who saddled Arrogate for a Pegasus World Cup triumph in 2017, trains Defunded, a 4-year-old Dialed In gelding, who closed out the 2022 season with victories in the Awesome Again Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita and Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar.
Proxy, a 5-year-old son of Tapit , earned grade 1 credentials in his 2022 finale in the Clark Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs. The Godolphin homebred is trained by Michael Stidham.
White Abarrio, Get Her Number, Art Collector, Super Corinto, and O'Connor are other grade/group 1 winners on the invitational list for the Pegasus World Cup.
Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained White Abarrio is already a grade 1 winner at 1 1/8 miles over the main track at Gulfstream Park, having captured the Florida Derby (G1) in April. The 4-year-old son of Race Day most recently finished third in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct, beaten just a half-length by winner Mind Control .
Peter Miller-trained Get Her Number captured the 2020 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) and was grade 1-placed twice in 2022, including a runner-up finish in the Cigar, finishing just ahead of White Abarrio.
Bill Mott-trained Art Collector, who captured the 2021 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Belmont, successfully defended his Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2) title this year.
Amador Sanchez-trained Super Corinto and Joseph-trained O'Connor were both group 1 winners in Chile this year who have been victorious at Gulfstream.
The final invitees are Skippylongstocking, third-place finisher in the 2022 Belmont Stakes (G1); multiple grade 1 stakes-placed Stilleto Boy; 2022 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Simplification ; and Last Samurai , who captured the 2022 Oaklawn Handicap (G2).
Eight horses are on the list of reserve invitees, who may be invited to run in the Pegasus World Cup in the event one or more of the 12 invitees do not enter. The list (in alphabetical order): Barber Road, Endorsed , Hoist the Gold, Law Professor, Muad'dib, Pappacap , Pioneer of Medina, and Ridin With Biden.
Colonel Liam Tops Pegasus Turf Invitees
Two-time defending champion Colonel Liam and fellow grade 1 winners Decorated Invader, Ivar, Shirl's Speight , and Speaking Scout are among a dozen horses on the first invitation list for the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up.
Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, returned from a nine-month layoff to run sixth in the Dec. 31 Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream in his Pegasus prep. The 6-year-old son of Liam's Map was a neck winner over Largent in the 2021 Pegasus and beat stablemate Never Surprised by a length in last year's edition.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Speaking Scout exits a victory in the Hollywood Derby (G1T) Dec. 3 at Del Mar, his second stakes triumph and first in graded company. The 4-year-old Mr Speaker gelding won the Hawthorne Derby Oct. 1 and ran second by a half-length to fellow Pegasus invitee Cabo Spirit in the Oct. 29 Twilight Derby (G2T) at Santa Anita.
Charles Fipke's multiple graded stakes winner Shirl's Speight most recently finished second in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). The 6-year-old son of Speightstown, trained by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield, rallied for a nose victory in the 2021 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland.
Fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile, beaten a length, was Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R D I's Ivar, a Brazilian-bred 7-year-old that won a pair of group 1 races in Argentina before coming to the U.S. He won the 2020 Turf Mile (G1T) at Keeneland and also ran second in the 2022 Turf Mile and Woodbine Mile (G1T).
West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman, William Sandbrook, and Cheryl Manning's Decorated Invader captured the 2019 Summer Stakes (G1T) on the Woodbine turf as a 2-year-old and went on to score in the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G2T) and National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2T) in 2020. The 6-year-old returned last fall after more than a year away and has run four times, most recently finishing second in the Fort Lauderdale.
The Fort Lauderdale was the third consecutive stakes win for Decorated Invader's stablemate, City Man, also among the list of invitees. Both are trained by Christophe Clement.
Completing the initial invitation list are Dicey Mo Chara, Masteroffoxhounds, Master Piece, Who's the Star, and Wit .
Eleven horses are on the list of reserve invitees, who may be invited to run in the Pegasus World Cup Turf in the event one or more of the 12 invitees do not enter. The list (in alphabetical order): Atone, Cellist, Dark Shift, Good Governance, Hurricane Dream, In Love, King Cause, Lady Speightspeare, Law Professor, Never Surprised, and Street Ready.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
