Pegasus World Cup 2024: First Mission is ready for the big time

The handicap division gets underway with the Pegasus World Cup (G1) on Saturday, January 27 at Gulfstream Park. The $3 million horse race is the most important American handicap race of the winter season, and it drew an overflow field of thirteen proven handicap runners and horses who hope to become major forces in the most prestigious older-horse division in the country.

Named for the striking Pegasus and Dragon statue at Gulfstream, the Pegasus World Cup is one of the of the newer traditions in American horse racing. It has only been run since 2017, but in its seven runnings, some major stars have worn the laurels. They include Arrogate, Gun Runner, Knicks Go, and the ever-consistent Art Collector.

Who will join this list in 2023? Read on to find out, and to see the best places to get real Vegas odds on the Pegasus World Cup!

Pegasus World Cup Post Positions

This is the official field for the 2024 Pegasus World Cup including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:

1. Nimitz Class (George Weaver/Edgard Zayas) – 20/1
2. O’Connor (Saffie Joseph, Jr./Paco Lopez) – 8/1
3. Dynamic One (Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) – 15/1
4. Hoist the Gold (Dallas Stewart/John Velazquez) – 12/1
5. Trademark (Victoria Oliver/Fernando de la Cruz) – 15/1
6. Senor Buscador (Todd Fincher/Junior Alvarado) – 20/1
7. National Treasure (Bob Baffert/Flavien Prat) – 9/5
8. First Mission (Brad Cox/Luis Saez) – 7/2
9. Grand Aspen (Todd Pletcher/Jose Ortiz) – 8/1 
10. Il Miracolo (Antonio Sano/Javier Castellano) – 20/1
11. Crupi (Todd Pletcher/Frankie Dettori) – 20/1
12. Skippylongstocking (Saffie Joseph/Tyler Gaffalione) – 8/1 
13. Castle Chaos (Robert Falcone, Jr./Tyler Gaffalione) – ALSO ELIGIBLE

Note that Castle Chaos will not race unless a horse scratches from the main field before the Saturday-morning deadline. Gulfstream Park did not assign morning-line odds for Castle Chaos.

Keep in mind that the morning-line odds are just Gulfstream Park’s estimate of what the tote board will look like come post time. The odds on track will fluctuate until post time. Your best bet is to bet the Pegasus World Cup at an online sportsbook. Online you can get real Las Vegas odds, and on major races you lock that price in the moment you place your bet!

National Treasure	+135	+180	+180
First Mission	+300	+300	+300
Trademark	+900	+900	+700
Grand Aspen	+1200	+1400	+1400
Hoist the Gold	+1200	+1200	+900
O'Connor	+1200	+1200	+1100
Skippylongstocking	+1200	+1400	+1400

Click here for more horse racing odds.

Pegasus World Cup Bets 

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Pegasus World Cup Favorites

National Treasure (+180) 

• He comes out of a live race, the Breeders’ Cup Dirt mile. On his best he could wire this race, especially over speed-loving Gulfstream dirt. However, the Bob Baffert trainee has been inconsistent throughout his career and has typically not shown his best in his first race off a layoff. He is probably going to be the heavy favorite, making him a serious underlay.

Suspicious at a short price.

First Mission (+350) 

• He missed the Preakness and much of his three-year-old season last year but came back smart in the autumn. His gritty second-place finish in the Clark (G2) proved he can hold his own with older horses. And, if he tracks just off the pace instead of fighting all the way around, he should have no trouble staying 1 ⅛ miles and being a factor start to finish.

Has a good chance to reach the top here.

Pegasus World Cup Mid-Priced Horses

Grand Aspen (+800)

• Missed by only a neck to O’Connor in the Harlans’ Holiday (G3), his graded-stakes debut. He will take a lot of money because he is trained by Todd Pletcher, and to be fair Pletcher can be good at getting horses to ascend the stakes ranks quickly. However, there is so much other, better speed in this race that this may not be his spot.

Has promise later, but looks like an underlay today.

O’Connor (+800)

• He is a better horse now than he was when he was 11th in this race one year ago, and he has a Grade 2 win at 1 ⅛ miles last fall in the Fayette. However, this is still a more difficult field than he faced in either of those race, meaning he will need to be surprisingly ignored on the tote to be particularly interesting here.

Cannot rule him out entirely, but at the price others appeal more.

Skippylongstocking (+800)

• The far-outside post may be a challenge, but there is a lot to like about him. He has tactical speed and could work a good, clean outside-stalking trip. He is well proven both over the Gulfstream footing and at the distance, and he is a better and more consistent horse than he was coming into the Pegasus last year.

Solid mid-priced candidate who belongs in wagers.

Pegasus World Cup Long Shots

Hoist the Gold (+1200)

• He has mainly been running sprints and extended sprints, but pedigree on both sides suggests he could take to nine furlongs in the right circumstances. With sprint speed but proven ratability, and a growing rapport with jockey John Velazquez, this looks like exactly the kind of spot where he could break through at two turns.

Could surprise at an excellent price.

Dynamic One (+1500)

• A rising face in the handicap division in early 2022, he was off for over a year and disappointed in his allowance return at Gulfstream last month. The mile was too short for him, and this distance suits him a lot better, but he has yet to show his best at Gulfstream Park and he may still need one more before picking back up what he was building toward two years ago.

On his best he fits, but others appeal more this time around.

Trademark (+1500)

• He got his schnozz down over First Mission in the Clark two months ago to spring the upset, but that day First Mission did all the dirty work and he picked up the pieces. Working a similar kind of trip in the Pegasus could work out well, though the biggest question is form cycle: he has not raced since the Clark and likely needs a race or two before running with the big boys again.

One to watch later, but probably needs this start.

Crupi (+2000)

• This four-year-old late runner cedes experience to these older horses, but he has won four of his last five including a victory over older horses in a listed race last out. A late runner, Gulfstram may not be the best place for him, although the 1 ⅛ miles suits beautifully. He is hoping the pace falls apart.

Enough upside at a big price to use in lower rungs of exotics, especially if going thin on top.

Il Miracolo (+2000)

• He emerged as a consistent second-tier three-year-old in the latter part of last year, winning the Smarty Jones (G3) and plucking underneath shares in other graded stakes, including the Fayette (G2) and Clark (G2) against older horses. He isn’t a winning type at this trip, but is consistent enough underneath and good enough at Gulfstream to make sense for exotics.

Consummate underneath type.

Nimitz Class (+2000)

• Broke out by beating Gunite in the Parx Dirt Mile, but was a no-threat third at odds-on in a minor stakes at Parx after that. Hasn’t raced since that October outing and has moved to the barn of George Weaver. Weaver can pop with a price with new arrivals in his barn as well as layoff horses, but he’ll have to gun it from the rail and outjump better speed.

This race and this post will not set up for him.

Senor Buscador (+2000)

• A fixture in top-level races for over a year, he is able to bring good form all over the country. Though he is a late runner, he is versatile enough to rally from midfield or well back. Gulfstream may not be the perfect track for him because of his running style, but his consistency and quality make him a good exotics play.

Spice up your trifectas and superfectas with this one.

Castle Chaos (Also Eligible)

• He needs a scratch to draw in. A longtime allowance fixture in New York and New Jersey, he finished a flattening third in the Cigar Mile (G2) almost three months ago, his graded-stakes debut. His last two-turn try was a well-beaten third in an allowance mile at Monmouth, and he has yet to either go this long or try Gulfstream.

This seems too much to ask at this time.

Watch the Pegasus World Cup 

Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream will feature a total of seven stakes races including the Pegasus World Cup, Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), and Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf. The feature races will be shown on NBC and Peacock from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST, with earlier races broadcast on FanDuel TV.