$3M Pegasus World Cup Invitational and $1M Florida Derby Headline 2022-2023 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park

By David Joseph —-

$3M Pegasus World Cup Invitational and $1M Florida Derby Headline 2022-2023 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – The $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1), and $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) will headline the three most prestigious racing days during the 2022-2023 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park.

A total of 60 stakes, including 35 graded events, will be run for $13.6 million in purses during Gulfstream Park’s world-class winter meet that will get under way December 26 and will run through April 2. Gulfstream’s stakes schedule will include 31 stakes races across Gulfstream’s new turf course.

The Pegasus World Cup Invitational, a 1 1/8-mile event for 4-year-olds and up, will be renewed on a program with six graded stakes on Saturday, January 28. The Pegasus, won last year by Life Is Good over defending champion and 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go, will be supported by the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 4-year-olds and up on turf, and the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G3), a 1 1/16-mile turf race for older fillies and mares.

Pegasus World Cup race day card will also include the $200,000 Inside Information (G2), a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, the $200,000 W. L. McKnight (G3), a 1 ½-mile turf race for 4-year-olds and up, the $150,000 La Prevoyante (G3) a 1 ½-mile turf event for older fillies and mares, the $150,000 Fred Hooper (G3), a mile stakes for older horses, and the $100,000 Carousel Club, a mile-and-70-yard overnight handicap for 4-year-olds and up on Tapeta.

The Pegasus World Cup has attracted participants, fans, and media from around the world and has made racing history in front of celebrities Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez, Gene Simmons, Lenny Kravitz, Pharrell Williams, Usher, Olivia Culpo, Vanessa Hudgens, Vin Diesel, Ashley Simpson and Nicole Scherzinger, to name just a few. In addition to the excitement on the track, Pegasus World Cup guests have enjoyed post-race performances by Lil’ Kim, Ja Rule, Mase, El Debarge and DJ Cassidy (2022), Nelly and T-Pain (2020), Snoop Dogg and Mark Ronson (2019), Post Malone (2018) and Thomas Rhett (2017).

“This year’s Championship Meet will continue Gulfstream’s tradition of hosting many of the top horses, horsemen and women, jockeys from around the world, and some of the sport’s most spectacular events,” said Aidan Butler, 1/ST RACING. “With races like the Pegasus World Cup Invitational, Florida Derby, Fountain of Youth and Gulfstream Park Oaks – along with the opening of Gulfstream’s new world-class turf course – we believe this winter season will be one of the sport’s most anticipated and popular meets.”

The Curlin Florida Derby, a tradition-rich 1 1/8-mile Triple Crown prep for 3-year-olds, will be renewed on an April 1 program with 10 stakes, including six graded stakes and featuring the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies. The $200,000 Pan American (G2), a 1 ½-mile turf stakes for older horses, the $150,000 Orchid (G3), a 1 ½-mile turf event for older fillies and mares, the $150,000 Ghostzapper (G3), a 1 1/16-mile race for older horses, and the $150,000 Appleton (G3), a mile turf stakes for older horses, will also be renewed on Florida Derby Day. Other stakes on Florida Derby are the $150,000 Sand Springs, $100,000 Sir Shackleton, $100,000 Cutler Bay, and $100,000 Sanibel Island.

In the 71 runnings of the Florida Derby, 45 starters have gone on to win a remarkable 58 Triple Crown events. There have been 24 Kentucky Derby winners, 18 Preakness Stakes winners and 16 Belmont winners.

The Florida Derby will conclude Gulfstream’s Road to the Triple Crown, which will kick off with the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man (mile) January 1, followed by the $250,000 Holy Bull [(G3), 1 1/16 miles on February 4, and the $400,000 Fountain of Youth [(G2), 1 1/16 miles on March 4.

The Holy Bull will headline one of five ‘Super Saturday’ cards, supported by the $125,000 Claiborne Swale (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, the $125,000 Forward Gal (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, the $175,000 Kitten’s Joy (G3), a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and the $100,000, and the $175.000 Sweetest Chant (G3), a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

The Fountain of Youth will be featured among nine stakes, eight graded, that will be renewed on the March 4 card. The $200,000 Davona Dale, a mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies, the $200,000 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), a mile stakes for older horses, the $200,000 Mac Diarmida (G2), a 1 3/8-mile turf stakes for older horses, the $150,000 The Very One (G3), a 1 3/8-mil the $150,000 Canadian Turf, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for older horses, the $200,000 Herecomesthebride (G3), a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, the $150,000 Honey Fox (G3) at a mile on the turf, and the $200,000 Palm Beach, a mile event for 3-year-olds, will be supporting races on the Fountain of Youth card.

The $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), a 1 1/8-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up, will be the headliner on the Championship Meet’s first ‘Super Saturday’ card with six graded stakes December 31. The $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old and up, the $125,000 Mr. Prospector (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, the $125,000 Sugar Swirl (G3), a six-furlong dash for fillies and mares, the $125,000 Rampart (G3), a mile event for fillies and mares, and the $125,000 Suwannee River (G3), a mile turf stakes for fillies and mares, will also be renewed on the program.

ABOUT THE STRONACH GROUP AND 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The company’s consumer facing brand 1/ST (pronounced “First”) powers The Stronach Group’s forward-thinking 1/ST RACING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY, 1/ST EXPERIENCE, and 1/ST PROPERTIES businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred horse racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING drives the best-in-class horse racing operations at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series – and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes – Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the newly formed operating group for all of 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, GWS and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is horse racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. 1/ST PROPERTIES is responsible for the development of the company’s live, work and play communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred horse racing on and off the track. For more information, please email david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com and visit www.1st.com.