The firs major race of the year or the older male dirt division is the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, January 28! Covering 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt, the race drew an overflow field of 12 runners plus two also-eligible entrants. It is one of the most important betting horse races of the year, and this is the place for expert picks and advice for where to bet it in New York!
The Pegasus World Cup is one of the newest traditions in horse racing, as it was first run in 2017. However, despite its short history it already has an illustrious winners’ list. Arrogate, Gun Runner, Knicks Go, and Life Is Good are among the race’s winners. Who will join this list of stars? Keep reading to find out!
Before you bet a single dollar of your money on the Pegasus World Cup, make sure you get the best and most profitable wagering experience by signing up for one of the best New York sportsbooks. All of our expert-approved racebooks offer the foundations of a great betting site: smooth user interfaces, trusted cash-outs, and market-leading odds so you can bet with confidence.
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This is the official field for the 2023 Pegasus World Cup including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
Keep in mind that the morning line is not a guaranteed price. Instead, it is the track’s best estimate for what the tote board will look like at post time. Your best bet is to play the Pegasus at an online sportsbook. Not only do you avoid the crowds, but you can lock in your odds in major races at the moment you bet.
These are the odds at the top of the market in our best reviewed New York racebooks:
Now that you have your online betting account all set up, it is time for the best part: picking a winner of the 2023 Pegasus World Cup!
The Pegasus World Cup tends to be extremely friendly to betting favorites. In fact, every winner of the Pegasus has been either the favorite or the second-choice come race day. So, it makes sense to choose one of the traditionally logical horses on top, and then get creative with exotics.
Cyberknife is the likely favorite in the 2023 Pegasus World Cup, and he looks like the goods in this spot. He comes in off of a close second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, a rich source of Pegasus winners. The extra furlong of distance plays right into Cyberknife’s strengths, and his trainer Brad Cox has already won the Pegasus once before. With tactical speed and good form at many tracks, Cyberknife will be tough to topple.
Skippylongstocking also deserves a long look. He has never looked better than he did in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3), the local prep race for the Pegasus World Cup. He stays at his home track for this, and should be able to work out another tactical tracking trip. Furthermore, he is already proven to stay the mile and an eighth.
Though Defunded may take some betting interest, go ahead and look elsewhere. He has yet to prove that he doesn’t need the lead against horses this good; instead, he has been using his speed to beat inferior horses in California. With the likes of Art Collector to contend with this time around, expect him to show early speed but find the waters too deep late.
As well as favorites do on the win end for the Pegasus, long shots often find the exotics in the race. An excellent way to get the Pegasus World Cup to pay well is to play exactas, trifectas, and superfectas with some value horses sprinkled in.
White Abarrio has tables to turn on Get Her Number from the Cigar Mile last out, but there are several reasons this race suits White Abarrio better. The Cigar is a one-turn mile, but the two-turn 1 ⅛ miles at Gulfstream is where White Abarrio tasted Grade 1 glory in the Florida Derby in 2022. Expect this striking grey to thrive on the return to his home track.
Proxy broke a long string of underneath finishes with a victory in the Clark (G1) at Churchill last out. The Pegasus field is deeper than the Clark group was, but the nine-furlong trip suits him well and Proxy is a horse who can take his form with him to multiple tracks. A win may be a bit much to ask, but he shapes as a reliable exotics chance.
Finally, consider Stilleto Boy for exotics as well. He has built a good career on underneath finishes in major horse races, and even ran third in the Pegasus last year. With tactical versatility and a consistent ability to run to his company, Stilleto Boy is an appealing candidate for those underneath rungs in the Pegasus once again.
Here are the best bets for the 2023 Pegasus World Cup:
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