HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — If there’s such a factor as home-course benefit in horse racing, then it’s no shock that White Abarrio gained the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. He accelerated simply within the stretch to win by 6¼ lengths.
It was White Abarrio’s ninth win in 20 begins, together with a win within the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Basic at Santa Anita. He has gained seven occasions in 9 races at Gulfstream Park. The earlier Gulfstream spotlight got here in 2022 when he gained the Florida Derby. The Pegasus World Cup is the richest race within the nation, exterior of the Breeders’ Cup. White Abarrio, ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. paid $7.60 to win.
Locked was second, adopted by Skippylongstocking, additionally skilled by Saffie Joseph Jr., Mixto, skilled by Santa Anita-based Doug O’Neill, Saudi Crown, Steal Sunshine, Crupi, Energy Squeeze, Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold, skilled by Phil D’Amato, and Newgrange.
“He needed to break,” Joseph stated about White Abarrio. “He didn’t break the last couple times and the break was going to be important. And he was able to get his dream trip. Once he gets into the clear, that’s when he really runs normally his best race. Everything aligned today. I’m just thankful to experience this”
It was additionally the second large win of the day for coach Joseph, who additionally gained the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational with Be Your Finest ($16.80 to win).
That is the second go-around for Joseph, who had the horse via March 2023 when he was moved to coach Rick Dutrow, who gained the Basic with the 6-year-old horse. However two dangerous begins within the Saudi Cup (tenth) and Met Mile (fifth) brought about the homeowners to maneuver the horse again to Joseph.
Saudi Crown broke on prime and held the lead within the 1 1/8-mile race till the highest of the stretch when White Abarrio simply dispatched him by widening lengths.
Spirit of St. Louis ($17.80) gained the $1 million World Cup Turf Invitational for coach Chad Brown by a neck. There have been three Southern California horses within the race, none of which hit the board. Mi Hermano Ramon, for Mark Glatt, was fourth; Balnikov, skilled by Phil D’Amato was tenth and Formidable Man, for Michael McCarthy was twelfth and final.
Be Your Finest completed a nostril in entrance within the 1 1/8-mile race Filly and Mare Turf Invitational. The 5-year-old mare ran simply off the chief after which made her transfer with a few sixteenth of a mile to go and simply received up on the wire.
Watchtower, skilled by Richard Baltas, was the one Southern California entrant in Turf Invitational. She completed ninth within the 11-horse race. Watchtower’s finest race was in October at Santa Anita, the place she gained the Autumn Miss Stakes.
D’Amato had one different horse run on Saturday. Rockemperor completed eleventh within the 12-horse William L. Knight Stakes for horses going 1 ½ miles on the turf. Goldeneye was a scratch for coach Peter Eurton.
O’Neill’s Mucho Del Oro was bumped at the beginning and was by no means actually concerned within the race ending sixth within the Gulfstream Park Turf Dash. The ten-time winner (in 20 races) was the third betting favourite within the five-furlong race.
