Betting With, and Against, Locked in the Pegasus World Cup

A strong field of 12 will travel nine furlongs on the Gulfstream Park dirt in Saturday’s lucrative, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. (G1). The Todd Pletcher-trained #11 Locked (5-2) is the morning-line choice in the marquee event on a massive day of racing in South Florida.

Locked – With

• 50-cent superfecta 11 with 4,5,10 with 4,5,10 with all ($27)
• 50-cent superfecta 11 with 4,5,10 with all with 4,5,10 ($27)

Locked – Against

• 50-cent trifecta 4,10 with 4,5,10,11 with all ($30)
• 20-cent superfecta 4,10 with 4,5,10,11 with 1,2,3,4,5,10,11 with 1,2,3,4,5,10,11 ($24)

This Gun Runner colt had a fine juvenile season led by a victory in the 2023 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, and he capped his two-year-old campaign with a third-place result in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita. He returned from an 11-month absence in October and dominated allowance foes in a seven-furlong allowance test in the Empire State, which preceded an excellent triumph in the Cigar Mile H. (G2) in his sophomore finale. 

Locked has plenty of room for improvement having just six lifetime races under his belt, and the chestnut has trained well in advance of Saturday as he was always targeting the Pegasus. I’m not in love with his post as he could potentially endure a wide voyage over a surface that often favors horses saving ground while being forwardly placed, but the four-year-old is versatile and will be difficult to deny with a sensible trip under the guidance of John Velazquez. 

#10 Skippylongstocking (10-1), one of two major contenders in the field for Saffie Joseph, will make his first appearance since running an even race in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his latest offering. The six-year-old son of Exaggerator picked up a trio of graded wins in 2024, he’s a multiple winner on the course, and the six-year-old also owns a handful of tallies at the trip, as well. I feel that his running style will see him tracking the pace from the second flight while always in range under Tyler Gaffalione. 

Joseph’s #4 White Abarrio (3-1) put in a pair of strong efforts off the long break to conclude 2024 and seems poised to be a major threat over a surface where he has compiled an 8-6-1-0 mark. The 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner possesses tactical speed and a fine turn of foot, and the second choice on the morning line retains the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr., too. 

Pletcher’s #5 Crupi (15-1) would be a surprise to win, but the Curlin chestnut was an excellent and clear third in the event last season, and he can really motor home on his best day. The Kentucky-bred five-year-old is a really good exotics piece at a price with Luis Saez in the stirrups. 

If I could figure out which of the Grade 1 winners #1 Mixto (10-1), #2 Saudi Crown (9-2), and #3 Newgrange (20-1) will secure the early lead, then I would also use that contender on top in some plays. But it’s unclear to me, so I’ll limit the usage of the accomplished trio to the lower rungs of the verticals.