2026 Pegasus World Cup Turf Contenders & Odds

Program Trading 5-2 Morning Line Favorite in $1 Million Pegasus Turf (G1)

Program Trading (Klaravich Stables), a three-time Grade 1 winner of nearly $1.6 million in purses from 10 starts, was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) on Saturday, January 24 at Gulfstream Park.

Program Trading and jockey Flavien Prat drew Post 2 against 11 rivals in Saturday's eighth running of the Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on the grass as part of a blockbuster program featuring 10 stakes, seven graded, worth $5.675 million in purses.

A 6-year-old bay ridgling bred in England, Program Trading is unraced since finishing 10th in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar, just his third start of 2025 following more than a year between races. He also ran second in both the Bernard Baruch at Saratoga and Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

Program Trading won the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) and Hollywood Derby (G1) as a 3-year-old in 2023, and the Turf Classic (G1) in one of just two starts as a 4-year-old in 2024. He has been off the board just twice, with five wins and three seconds for trainer Chad Brown.

Brown won the inaugural Pegasus Turf with subsequent Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in 2019, also for Klaravich, and again with Spirit of St Louis last winter. He is one of three two-time Pegasus Turf-winning trainers in the field along with Mike Maker and Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

Pletcher, the only back-to-back winner of the Pegasus Turf with Colonel Liam in 2021 and 2022, is represented by Spendthrift Farm's multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Major Dude (Post 7, 8-1, Irad Ortiz Jr.), one of three horses returning from last year's race after finishing sixth, beaten three lengths. The 6-year-old has two wins and two seconds in six career tries on the Gulfstream turf.

Maker won the Pegasus Turf with Zulu Alpha in 2020 and Atone in 2023. This year he will send out Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher and Angelo Carlesimo's millionaire Chasing the Crown (Post 9, 20-1, Joel Rosario), who ran third in 2025. The 7-year-old is chasing his first graded win, having placed twice prior to last year's race.

Grade 1 winner Test Score and South African Group 1 winner One Stripe will try the Pegasus Turf for trainer Graham Motion. Amerman Racing's 4-year-old homebred Test Score (Post 1, 8-1, Manuel Franco) captured the Belmont Derby (G1) to open his 2025 season and capped it finishing third by a half-length in the Nov. 29 Hollywood Derby (G1).

Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam's 5-year-old South African-bred colt One Stripe (Post 4, 12-1, Gavin Lerena) won Group 1 stakes in his native country to end 2024 and start 2025, earning his first North American victory in his third try in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Dec. 26 on the Gulfstream turf.

Also with two starters is Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who has Cugino and Fort Washington. West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig Racing's 5-year-old Cugino (Post 10, 7-2, John Velazquez) had a modest two-race win streak snapped when second by less than a length in Gulfstream's Pegasus Turf prep, the Dec. 20 Fort Lauderdale (G3).

Magic Cap Stables' 7-year-old Fort Washington (Post 12, 10-1, Junior Alvarado) is one of six millionaires in the Pegasus Turf, having run fifth in last year's race. He became a Grade 1 winner in last summer's Arlington Million at Colonial Downs, one of four career graded-stakes victories.

Rounding out the Pegasus Turf field are Kretz Racing's millionaire Cabo Spirit (Post 8, 8-1, Mike Smith); Savio-Cannon Thoroughbreds' Grade 2 winner Call Sign Seven (Post 6, 15-1, Ricardo Gonzalez); CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano's Almendares (Post 5, 20-1, Umberto Rispoli); Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor's Astronomer (Post 11, 15-1, Jose Ortiz) and JSM Equine's Beach Gold (Post 3, 15-1, David Egan) - all stakes winners who are multiple graded-stakes placed.

Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables and Old Bones Racing Stable's Balnikhov (30-1, Rispoli) is the lone also-eligible.

Stacked Field to Line Up for $1 Million Pegasus Turf (G1)

Jan 21 - Six millionaires, four Grade 1 winners and three trainers chasing an unprecedented third victory in the richest grass event of the winter help comprise a star-studded field set to contest Saturday's $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The eighth running of the Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on the grass, is part of a blockbuster program that features 10 stakes, seven graded, worth $5.675 million in purses including the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) and $500,000 TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2).

Post time for the first of 13 races is 11 a.m. ET. The Pegasus Turf will go off as Race 12, with a scheduled post time of 4:54 p.m. ET. NBC will provide live national television coverage from 4:30 to 6 p.m. ET.

Introduced in 2019, the Pegasus Turf's list of winners includes 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar; two-time European Group 1 heroine Warm Heart, the lone filly winner; and Colonel Liam, the only two-time winner having captured consecutive runnings in 2021 and 2022.

Trainer Graham Motion, seeking his first Pegasus Turf win, will send out the Grade 1-winning pair of Test Score and One Stripe. Amerman Racing's 4-year-old homebred Test Score is coming off a breakthrough sophomore campaign where he registered three wins, one second, three thirds and $1.36 million in purse earnings from eight starts.

Never beaten by more than four lengths in 2025, Test Score notched wins in the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland, Belmont Derby (G1) at Saratoga and Twilight Derby (G2) at Santa Anita before finishing the season running third by a half-length in the Hollywood Derby (G1) Nov. 29 at Del Mar. This will be his first time facing older horses.

"He was really unlucky last time out. He had a brutal trip. I think you could definitely make the case to say he was the best horse," Motion said. "I said to Mr. Amerman if things went well, we would point him for this race, but if he needed more time we would give it to him. He seems to have handled everything very well. He's such a classy horse and if he was doing well, I wanted to take a shot in this race. After this I'll probably freshen him up for the spring, but he's here and I thought this was a good opportunity for him. He was always a classy horse. I think he really hasn't done much wrong, to be honest, but this is going to be a big step up against older horses for the first time."

Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam's 5-year-old One Stripe won the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas (G1) to end 2024 and L'ormarins King's Plate (G1) to open 2025 in his native South Africa, the latter a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). He has raced three times since coming to North America last summer, running fifth in the Woodbine Mile (G1) and last after setting the pace in the Mile before getting his first victory going a mile over Gulfstream's turf course Dec. 26.

"The Breeders' Cup was kind of a disaster. He drew the one hole and ended up going to the lead which is just not his style at all, so I was really encouraged to get him back on track in the allowance race," Motion said. "I think after the Breeders' Cup I was able to take a deep breath with him and kind of give him a chance to catch up and I think that really helped him. That allowance race just came at a really good time. He had one kind of easy work since the Breeders' Cup and then one proper work. Everything just fell into place. It was a great prep for him."

Manny Franco is named to ride Test Score (8-1) from Post 1, while Gavin Lerena has the call on One Stripe (12-1) from Post 4.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will also send out a pair of contenders in search of his first Pegasus Turf victory. Magic Cap Stables' millionaire Fort Washington, fifth in last year's race after drawing in off the reserve list, is a four-time graded-stakes winner who earned Grade 1 credentials in the 2025 Arlington Million (G1) going 1 ¼ miles on the Colonial Downs turf. He ran once more, finishing sixth in the 1 ½-mile Kentucky Downs Turf Cup (G2) over Labor Day weekend, before being shut down for the season.

"He runs hard," McGaughey said. "His race was kind of a fouled-up race at Kentucky Downs but sometimes that happens down there. We've been pleased with him. I had never won the Arlington Million so to win that was a lot of fun, and to get him a Grade 1 win was a nice accomplishment. He came out of it fine, and we gave him a little bit of a break."

Fort Washington (10-1) has been third or better in four of seven tries on the Gulfstream turf, his lone victory coming by a nose in last winter's 1 1/16-mile Canadian Turf (G3). Junior Alvarado rides from outermost Post 12.

"I don't know that two months ago I really had this race on my radar, but he's come back and trained really well," McGaughey said. "I would think going a mile and an eighth here, he's run really good over this track so it should be a pretty good spot for him. You don't get these kinds of opportunities that much. I think he deserves a chance."

West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig Racing's 5-year-old Cugino (7-2) is a multiple stakes winner including back-to-back scores in the one-mile Red Bank at Monmouth Park and 1 3/8-mile Red Smith (G2) at Aqueduct last fall that followed a season-opening allowance win at Aqueduct and sixth-place finish in the Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga.

"I gave him some time last winter and he came back and won the allowance. I shouldn't have run him in the Fourstardave at Saratoga; it was my mistake," McGaughey said. "He came back and won two stakes and was second in another one. I think all is good. We'll run him Saturday and then probably give him a little time until the big races in the summer."

Hall of Famer John Velazquez gets the riding assignment from Post 10 on Cugino, whose name means 'cousin' in Italian. Most recently he finished second by less than a length under jockey Flavien Prat in the Gulfstream's Pegasus Turf prep, the Dec. 20 Fort Lauderdale (G3) behind Wolfie's Dynaghost's track-record 1:43.42 for 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

"I thought he ran really well. That horse is a good horse that was in front. I thought, and so did Prat, that at the head of the stretch he was going to be able to catch him and the winner just kept going," McGaughey said. "I've never seen horses run that fast before on the turf, so I was very pleased with the way he ran. Disappointed he got beat, but a 4-5 shot beat him on a track that favored him. He came out of it good and we're looking forward to next week."

The 5-2 program favorite for the Pegasus Turf is Klaravich Stables' Program Trading, a three-time Grade 1-winning millionaire trained by Chad Brown, who won last year's race with Spirit of St Louis as well as the inaugural edition with Bricks and Mortar. The lightly raced 6-year-old has finished first or second in eight of just 10 career starts. He returned from more than a year away to be second in the Bernard Baruch and Turf Mile (G1) before running 10th last out in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) Nov. 1.

Mike Maker and Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher are also seeking to become the first three-time Pegasus Turf winner. Maker, who won with Zulu Alpha in 2020 and Atone in 2023, will send out Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher and Angelo Carlesimo's 7-year-old Chasing the Crown (20-1), most recently fifth in the Fort Lauderdale.

Chasing the Crown also ran behind Wolfie's Dynaghost when seventh in the Nov. 8 River City (G3), again at 1 1/8 miles, both races coming after the son of Skipshot won the one-mile Tight Shot overnight handicap at Kentucky Downs.

"Both of Wolfie's Dynaghost's last two races were monstrous, and [Chasing the Crown] had to come from a little further back. He ran well last time," Maker said. "He's an honest horse and he shows up every time. He gives me a lot of confidence every time I lead him over."

Chasing the Crown, a troubled third by 3 ½ lengths in last year's Pegasus Turf, will have Joel Rosario aboard from Post 9.

"He was unlucky to lose last year. He had some trouble in the race and he only got beat a length and a half," Maker said. "The horse couldn't look any better or be doing any better. We've been pointing to this for a year."

Pletcher, the only back-to-back Pegasus Turf winner with Colonel Liam, is represented by Spendthrift Farm's 6-year-old Major Dude (8-1). Third or better in 17 of 26 career starts with more than $1.4 million in purses earned, he also returns from last year's race when he ran sixth, beaten three lengths, despite having to steady in deep stretch. A minor illness forced him to skip the Fort Lauderdale.

"He got a little temperature a couple days before the Fort Lauderdale so we had to miss that, but he's been training very well since," Pletcher said. "He tends to run well fresh so we're taking that angle into this."

Major Dude has not raced since winning the one-mile Artie Schiller on the Aqueduct turf by a length Oct. 11. It was his fifth stakes win including graded scores in the 2024 Fort Lauderdale (G2) and 2023 Kitten's Joy (G3) at Gulfstream. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides from Post 7.

"He's been a very consistent horse [and] shows up every time, but tends to run his best when given a little extra time in between races," Pletcher said. "It would be pretty cool to win it a third time. We need to get away alertly, and hopefully he's able to do that. He's a very cool horse, a great horse to train. We've been very lucky to keep him around as long as we have."

Kretz Racing's Southern California-based 7-year-old Cabo Spirit (Post 8, 8-1) is the sixth Pegasus Turf millionaire and has placed in 21 of 39 lifetime starts, the seventh and most recent win coming in front-running fashion Dec. 28 in the 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel (G3) at Santa Anita. The five-time graded-stakes winner has raced away from the West Coast only three times and not since the 2023 Mint Millions at Kentucky Downs.

Savio-Cannon Thoroughbreds' 5-year-old Call Sign Seven (Post 6, 15-1) exits a late-running half-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) Nov. 29 at Del Mar, just his second stakes attempt and his first race in 10 months. His trainer, Michael McCarthy, has a history of success shipping in to win Gulfstream stakes including the 2019 Pegasus World Cup with City of Light.

CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano's 6-year-old Almendares (Post 5, 20-1) was bred in England and began his career in Ireland before coming to the U.S. in the summer of 2023. He has raced exclusively in Southern California with a restricted stakes win in last July's one-mile Wickerr at Del Mar, has placed in seven graded-stakes and last out was fifth by less than a length in the Seabiscuit.

Also from the West Coast is Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor's 7-year-old Astronomer (Post 11, 15-1). Five times graded-stakes placed, he ran fifth in the Wickerr and second by a half-length in the Seabiscuit then was beaten 1 ¼ lengths when second in the San Gabriel.

JSM Equine's 5-year-old Beach Gold (Post 3, 15-1), trained by Patrick Biancone, has a record of success over the Gulfstream turf with a record of 3-1-2 from seven starts. A 22-1 upset winner of the Preview Turf Mile last summer at Ellis Park, he was third in the Mint Millions Invitational (G3) at Kentucky Downs and most recently third by three lengths in the Fort Lauderdale.

Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables and Old Bones Racing Stable's Balnikhov (30-1), 10th in last year's Pegasus Turf, is the lone also-eligible.

Seven Millionaires Top $1M Pegasus Turf (G1) Invitations

Dec 31 - Pegasus World Cup - Seven millionaires including multiple graded-stakes winners Cabo Spirit, Major Dude, Program Trading and Wolfie's Dynaghost top an all-star group of 19 horses on the initial list of invitations to the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up is part of a blockbuster World Cup Day program featuring 10 stakes, seven graded, worth $5.55 million in purses including the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) and $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G2).

Trainers Chad Brown, Mike Maker and Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, who have won six of the seven runnings of the Pegasus Turf, are all represented on the list. Each has won the Pegasus Turf twice, with Brown's Spirit of St Louis taking the most recent addition.

The invitees, in alphabetical order, are:

Almendares: The 6-year-old British-bred gelding began his career in Ireland before arriving in Southern California in the summer of 2023 and winning his North American debut. He has placed in six graded-stakes, won the one-mile Wickerr on the Del Mar turf last July and most recently ran fifth by less than a length in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2).

Anegada: Trained by two-time Pegasus Turf winner Mike Maker, the Midshipman gelding enters his 4-year-old season having won two of his last three starts, both in 1 1/8-mile stakes - the Dec. 27 Last Hurrah over Turfway Park's synthetic surface and the Oct. 5 Hawthorne Derby on the turf. He has raced twice on the grass at Gulfstream, where he graduated in a March 28 maiden claimer in his sixth start.

Astronomer: The Simon Callaghan trainee is seeking his first graded-stakes triumph, placing five times including seconds in the Dec. 27 San Gabriel (G3) and Nov. 29 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) respectively at Santa Anita and Del Mar, and Santa Anita's 2023 City of Hope Mile (G3).

Balnikhov: Going into his 7-year-old season Balnikhov has raced almost exclusively in graded-stakes since coming to the U.S. in the spring of 2022 with wins in the 2022 Bryan Station (G3), 2023 San Francisco Mile (G3) and 2024 Dinner Party (G3). Tenth in the 2025 Pegasus Turf, the consistent performer has been third or better in 20 of 37 starts with nearly $1.2 million in purse earnings.

Beach Gold: Earned his first stakes victory in the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile Aug. 2 at Ellis Park, returning to be third in the Mint Millions (G3) four weeks later. The 5-year-old colt rebounded from running 10th in the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland to be third behind Wolfie's Dynaghost and Cugino in the Fort Lauderdale, beaten a total of three lengths.

Cabo Spirit: The 7-year-old gelding based in Southern California with trainer George Papaprodromou has banked nearly $1.4 million in purse earnings from 39 lifetime starts with seven wins, six of them coming in stakes included graded triumphs in the Dec. 28 San Gabriel (G3), 2022 La Jolla (G3) and Twilight Derby (G2), 2024 John Henry Turf Cup (G2) and 2025 American (G3). His only three starts outside of California have come in Kentucky and none since the 2023 Mint Millions (G3).

Call Sign Seven: Another California-based horse, the 5-year-old Michael McCarthy trainee has raced just six times with three wins. Most recently he captured the Nov. 29 Seabiscuit (G2) at Del Mar in his first start since early March. McCarthy's lone prior Pegasus Turf starter was Formidable Man in 2025, but he won the 2019 Pegasus with City of Light and was third with Independence Hall in 2021.

Chasing the Crown: Trained by two-time Pegasus Turf winner Mike Maker, Chasing the Crown was third at odds of 64-1 in last year's race and has won six of 21 starts and more than $1 million in purses over his career. His most recent victory came in the $500,000 Tight Spot overnight handicap going one mile Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs. Maker's Pegasus Turf wins came with Zulu Alpha in 2020 and Atone in 2023.

Cugino: First or second in 11 of 14 lifetime starts, the 5-year-old colt is attempting to be the first Pegasus Turf winner for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who respectively ran second and fifth in 2025 with Integration and Fort Washington. Cugino is a four-time stakes winner including the Red Bank (G2) Sept. 1 at Monmouth Park. He owns a 1-3-0 record from four Gulfstream starts, winning the 2024 Tropical Park Derby and running second last out in the Dec. 20 Fort Lauderdale (G3).

El Potente: Bred in Florida by Charmsil LLC, Dan Blacker-trained El Potente has raced exclusively in California. Four of his 16 starts have come in stakes, winning the Thunder Road (G3) last winter and running third in the 2024 Lure and Nov. 29 Seabiscuit (G3) behind Call Sign Seven, beaten less than a length. He was fourth in the Dec. 29 Joe Hernandez (G2) at Santa Anita.

Layabout: Patrick Biancone-trained stablemate of Beach Gold, 4-year-old Layabout comes to the Pegasus Turf off a determined nose victory in the 1 1/16-mile Tropical Park Derby Dec. 13 on the Gulfstream turf, where he also won the one-mile Bear's Den Aug. 2 and was second in the 1 1/16-mile Showing Up Nov. 1 to Souper Forces, who ran sixth in the Tropical Park Derby.

Major Dude: Entering his 6-year-old season, Major Dude has been a model of consistency for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher running third or better in 17 of 26 starts and earning purses of more than $1.4 million. Sixth in last year's Pegasus Turf, Major Dude owns graded wins on the Gulfstream turf in the 2023 Kitten's Joy (G3) and 2024 Fort Lauderdale (G2), and was scratched from making a title defense last month following a victory in the Oct. 11 Artie Schiller at Aqueduct. Pletcher won back-to-back editions of the Pegasus Turf with Colonel Liam in 2021 and 2022, also running second each year.

Namaron: A Group 3 winner in his native Germany, 4-year-old Namaron has finished third in three North American runs, the one-mile Gun Runner at Kentucky Downs, 1 1/8-mile Twilight Derby (G2) at Santa Anita behind Pegasus Turf candidate Test Score, and Dec. 28 Mathis Mile (G2). Hall of Fame trainer John Sadler has had one previous Pegasus Turf starter, Catapult, who ran fourth in 2019.

Ohana Honor: Cugino's stablemate trained by McGaughey and co-owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, the 6-year-old ridgling exits a mid-November victory in the 1 1/8-mile Knickerbocker at Aqueduct. It was his first stakes victory after placing in five prior attempts including a second in the Man o' War (G2) and a third in the Manhattan (G1) in 2024.

One Stripe: The South African-bred 5-year-old colt earned his first victory in his third North American start Dec. 26 at Gulfstream, drawing off to an impressive 5 ¼-length optional claiming allowance triumph for trainer Graham Motion, who ran third in the 2023 Pegasus Turf with Speaking Scout. One Stripe won six of nine starts in his native country, five of them in group stakes led by the 2024 Cape Guineas (G1) and 2025 King's Plate (G1). He has never raced farther than one mile.

Program Trading: From the barn of trainer Chad Brown, winner of the inaugural 2019 Pegasus Turf with Bricks and Mortar, who went on to be named champion older turf male and Horse of the Year. Program Trading won his first three starts capped by the 2023 Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1), capping that year with a victory in the Hollywood Derby (G1). A third Grade 1 triumph came in the 2024 Turf Classic, his season debut. He went more than a year between starts before running second in the Bernard Baruch and Turf Mile this summer and fall and last competed in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) Nov. 1.

Test Score: Another Motion trainee, 4-year-old Test Score blossomed during his sophomore season with three wins, one second, three thirds and more than $1.3 million in purse earnings from eight starts after going 1-2-0 from four juvenile races. Three of Test Score's wins came in graded-stakes - the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1), Twilight Derby (G2) and Transylvania (G3) - at tracks in New York, California and Kentucky. Most recently he was third by two necks in the Nov. 29 Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar.

Win for the Money: Seventh in last year's Pegasus Turf, Win for the Money tuned up for a return trip by running second in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance Dec. 27 on the Gulfstream turf. Now 7, he scored a career highlight winning the 2024 Woodbine Mile (G1) for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Winner of the 2024 Mr. Steele on the Gulfstream turf, he has placed in five other graded stakes including a third in the Aug. 2 Fourstardave (G1).

Wolfie's Dynaghost: A career winner of 14 races and nearly $1.4 million in purse earnings, the 8-year-old has won three straight and each of his two starts since joining trainer Brian Lynch, taking the River City (G3) in November and Dec. 20 Fort Lauderdale (G3) at Gulfstream, both going 1 1/8 miles. He has raced twice on the Pegasus World Cup Day program, winning the Carousel Club overnight handicap in 2022 and 2023 over the all-weather Tapeta.

OffTrackBetting.com - US Legal Pegasus World Cup Turf betting is a great way to wager on horse racing online. Available to customers across the United States, OTB features both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing from major racing venues in the US as well as top international racing from Europe, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong.