Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes final invites have been announced with two-time Grade One winner Cyberknife one of the big names expected to be heading to Gulfstream Park on January 28.
You can also check out the best horse racing betting guides ahead of the January 28 contest at Gulfstream Park.
Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes – The Main Runners
The third and final invites for the 2023 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes saw no significant changes from the first two invite stages as we gear up for the seventh running of this $3m Grade One 1 1/8-mile contest – with big names like Cyberknife, Simplification, White Abarrio and Defunded among the 12 entries at this stage.
You can also check out the best horse racing betting guides ahead of the January 28 contest at Gulfstream Park.
Cyberknife: Last seen 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 have come in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes (Jul 23, 2022) and the Grade 1 Matt Winn Stakes (Jun 12, 2022).
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Skippylongstocking: Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr, this 4 year-old has won 4 of his 12 starts, including last time out 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.
Simplification: Third behind Skippylongstocking last time out in the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes, so has 2 1/4 lengths to make up on that horse. Also ran 4th in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs last season, but is yet to record a Grade 1 win – his best being in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain Of Youth Stakes, which on a plus did come at Gulfstream Park.
White Abarrio: Popular grey horse that was last in action 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.
Proxy: Winner last time out of the Grade 1 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov 25 and has a very consistent profile with 11 top three finishes from 13 starts. This Godolphin-owned 5 year-old has done the bulk of his running at Fair Grounds (7 runs) and would be having his first start at Gulfstream if running in the 2023 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes.
Defunded: From the powerful Bob Baffert yard that have won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes twice before (2017 & 2020). This 5 year-old was last on the track on Nov 27, 2022 when easily winning the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar. Prior to that win, he landed 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 top table, rates one of the leading 2023 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes runners at this year’s renewal.
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Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stake: Latest Entries In Full
- White Abarrio
- Super Corinto
- Stilleto Boy
- Skippylongstocking
- Simplification
- Ridin With Biden
- Proxy
- O’Connor
- Hoist the Gold
- Get Her Number
- Endorsed
- Defunded
- Cyberknife
- Barber Road
- Art Collector
Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Past Winners
- 2022 – LIFE IS GOOD
- 2021 – KNICKS GO
- 2020 – MUCHO GUSTO
- 2019 – CITY OF LIGHT
- 2018 – GUN RUNNER
- 2017 – ARROGATE
WATCH: Life Is Good Winning The 2022 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes
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Tagged: Horse Racing