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This weekend, Saturday 29th January, is Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series day at Gulfstream Park, Florida.
First post 11.30am, the headline race will be at: 5:45 PM EST / 10.45PM GMT / 11.45 CET / 09.45 AEDT
The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series is a series of invite-only races held annually at Gulfstream Park since 2017.The $3 million Pegasus World Cup runs 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, and the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf runs 1 3/16 miles on the turf. Both feature horses 4 years and above. Each race has 12 invites.
Knicks Go is likely to start favourite for the big race, the Pegasus World Cup after his five-furlong workout on Sunday at Fair Grounds. Last year's Pegasus Cup winner was timed in 1:00 2/5, the fastest of 58 workouts recorded at the distance at the New Orleans track.
This will be Knicks Go's first race since winning the Breeders' Cup Classic in November. Although he retains a place in the Saudi Cup next month, this is likely to be his last ever race, before being sent to stud in Kentucky.
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good will be stepping up to 1 1/8m for the very first time. His most recent five furlongs workout was ina slightly slower 1:00.90, over a fast main track at Palm Beach Downs. Life Is Good has never raced at Gulfstream, but has with five wins from his six career starts so far.
The Pegasus World Cup programme features seven graded-stakes worth $5.2 million in prize money.
The Pegasus World Cup will be shown live on NBC in the US and Sky Sports Racing will show the event in the UK and Ireland.
Rights deals have also been signed with Polsat in Poland, Match TV in Russia, the Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group in Scandinavia, Setanta Sports in the Baltics and Eurasia, Equidia in France and Sport TV in Portugal. Sony Pictures Networks will deliver delayed coverage in India, while Pegasus World Cup rights have been also sold to SuperSport in sub-Saharan Africa, SportsMax in the Caribbean and ESPN Latin America. LIVENow, the Aser Ventures-owned pay-per-view streaming platform, will be screening in France, Italy and Germany, Disney's Star+ has the race in Latin America, and Eclat Media Group in Southeast Asia. The Sky Dreamworks owned Wasu.tv has picked up highlights rights in China.
XB Net Blog, Assets, Videos
The Xpressbet blog is the place to go for weekly updates on trackwork, race updates and previews - you'll find all the news preceding Saturday's event. But mark off today (Tuesday) and Thursday for the most important pre-race assets.
Tuesday - Pegasus World Cup Draw 1.30pm (ET) + Jeremy Plonk's post-draw reaction
The post position draw will be held in Sport of Kings at Gulfstream Park and can also be viewed on the Pegasus Facebook page and Pegasus website:
https://www.facebook.com/PegasusWorldCup
https://www.pegasusworldcup.com/live-stream/
Thursday - 1/ST Pegasus World Cup Wager Guide
Friday - Eddie Olczyk's video guide and Jerry Shottenkirk's picks for PWC day
Friday - Jeff Siegel has a full-card analysis for Santa Anita
Saturday - Jeff Siegel analyses the day's card at Santa Anita Park
Sunday - Jeff Siegel analyses the day's card at Santa Anita Park
Don't forget, there's also a treasure trove of workouts and videos on XBTV
PWC Undercard
Saturday's Pegasus World Cup 12-race programme also features a strong undercard headed by the million dollar Pegasus Turf World Cup. This will be the penultimate race of the day. A field of 12 top turf horses will race over 1 1/8 miles. Colonel Liam is aiming to make it two-in-a-row, after his hard fought victory by a neck last year. The Todd Pletcher trained horse hasn't raced since an 8th-place finish in the Group 1 Manhattan Stakes on Belmont Stakes day back on June, but before that he was on a three-race grade stakes winning run. Field Biscuit, fresh from a big win in the Seabiscuit Stakes at Del Mar, is perhaps the one to watch.
The supporting card includes these big graded races:
$500,000 Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf (1 1/16m)
Chad Brown's Regal Glory takes on Todd Pletcher's Sweet Melania and Shifty She.
$200,000 Inside Information Stakes (G2) - a 7f dirt sprint.
$200,000 William L. McKnight (G3), 1 1/2m on turf
The likely big favourite is Abaan, who's won three out of his last four.
$150,000 La Prevoyante (G3) for fillies and mares, raced over 1 1/2m on turf
Last year's winner Always Shopping faces a stuff challenge from Harajuku.
$150,000 Charlatan Stakes (G3) 1m on dirt
First post will be 11.30 AM ET / 4.30 PM GMT / 5.30PM CET / 3.30 AM AEDT
The last race of the day - the Pegasus World Cup - has this post time: 5:45 PM ET / 10.45PM GMT / 11.45 CET / 09.45 AEDT
Other Racing Highlights
Santa Anita Park hosts racing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday every weekend.
First post for each day is 12.30 PM PST / 3.30 PM EST / 8.30 PM GMT / 9.30 PM CET / 07.30 AEDT
28-30 January
Friday has a card of eight races.
Saturday hosts nine races. The card includes the G2 San Vicente Stakes and two G3s, Palos Verdes Stakes and Megahertz Stakes. The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series will be shown live at the track onbig screens.
Sunday also has nine races, with the same first post. The big race of the day is the G2 San Marcos Stakes.
4-6 February
Friday has a card of eight races.
Saturday nine races, including G2 San Pasqual Stakes, G2 Santa Monica Stakes, G3 Thunder Road Stakes.
Sunday features the RB Lewis Stakes and Las Virgines Stakes, both G3, in a card of nine races.
Harness Racing News
1/ST is going to be launching North America's number one Harness Racetrack in February - Woodbine Mohawk. We'll give you all the info in the next newsletter, so you get all the best betting opportunities ready in advance, but don't forget that every day on the XPressbet blog you can find Al Cimaglia's harness picks.
That's all for this week. Stay lucky and see you soon.
