The 2023 Pegasus World Cup
Star power or no star power who cares. The 2023 Pegasus World Cup is an exciting competitive race with plenty of pace and a full field. It is an excellent betting race and anchors a stakes laden card and a bunch of multi-race wagers.
You can certainly make a case for plenty of horses in The Pegasus this year. The race looks like a lively pace is possible and things may set up for someone closing late. We know Gulfstream Park tends to play speed friendly, but pace is pace, and the possibility of a meltdown exists and must be considered. Now that I pointed that out, we probably guaranteed a gate to wire winner. Horses humble everybody.
Favorite Cyberknife looks like the one who will get the perfect stalking trip sitting just off the speed and getting the jump on the closers. He is making his final start and looking to go out a winner and he certainly gets the right set up to do it. That said I see some vulnerability and at a short price I’ll try and beat him. Let’s see how this competitive field sets up.
Proxy always looked like he would turn out to be a nice horse. He never became as good as I thought he might, and he won a watered-down Grade 1 in The Clark at Churchill Downs last out. Joel and the ability to close are the best things he has going for him. He was off from July to November and ran big off the bench and he may regress.
Simplification went from a speed horse to a closer to a stalker and now to a horse who is not sure of his own style. He likes Gulfstream Park and gets Paco Lopez who we had the chance to talk with on Past The Wire TV. He has races that could win this on his resume but looks a cut below some of these. He is not without a chance, but I’ll pass.
Riden With Biden is in great form but at Parx. He will have to show me he can do that here against these. I do not believe he can.
White Abarrio will attract some support. He loves the track at 4 for 4. Tyler rides him as good as anyone and is reunited with his Florida Derby winner over this track. He can track or stalk and that will help. Even with all those positives I do not think he can beat a few of these. He won’t shock me but I won’t bet him either.
Defunded comes in for Bob Baffert who knows how to win this and any other big race. Irad rides and he has won this race for Bob before. He is in top form, and I don’t think he needs the lead. I think he can be the speed of the speed, but I also think Irad can stalk and make a move at the right time. I think he is the one to beat and I land here.
Art Collector seems to need a perfect trip and or a tad softer to do his best. I don’t think he gets that here.
Skippylongstocking got a perfect trip and set up last out. He needed that to win the local prep for this and I doubt he gets that scenario again.
Get Her Number can finish but looks better at ne turn.
Last Samurai is Lukas with Frankie up. At Past The Wire we are doing a year long series on Frankie’s Fanfare, his final year in the saddle and he is still on top of his game. You can check out our One-on-One interview with Frankie HERE! I think you will enjoy it. If we get a pace meltdown, here comes the Coach and Frankie. Frankie won a rare mount for Baffert with Country Grammer can he do it for Lukas. You bet given the right circumstances.
Cyberknife will and should be favored. He gets the perfect trip on paper. I know he beat Taiba in The Haskell but I think that was due to Taiba’s trip and him needing another race. Take that race away and he never really beats the good ones. He is right there but can he close the deal at a short price. We shall find out, but Geroux is a little cold at Fair Grounds, and I will try and beat him here. Can he win and go out a winner, sure, but he is not a cinch in my book.
Stilletto Boy would need a turnaround explosive race to do it here.
O’ Connor is intriguing. He can run from off the pace, and he is somewhat of a mystery. He ran big in his US debut but was flat in the Harlan’s Holiday. The post is bad but if he drops out of it and makes a run he could get involved.
For a tad more insight check out our Past The Wire TV interviews with
Mike Maker and
Junior Alvarado all of which will be active on The Pegasus card.
I’m on Defunded and hopefully not defunded after the races.
