2019 Pegasus World Cup Power Rankings

The 3rd Annual Pegasus World Cup takes place on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019 at Gulfstream Park. When they ran the first Pegasus World Cup in 2017, some felt it might not become the spectacle it's turned out to be.  One of the reasons for the race's popularity can be traced to top rated horses in the world winning the event in the first two years.

Arrogate took home the victory in 2017. In 2018, the great Gun Runner won the trophy. For it's first two running, the Breeders' Cup Classic Champion has also won the Pegasus World Cup. This year's Classic winner, Accelerate, tops my 2019 Pegasus World Cup Power Rankings. Check out more info on Acclerate along with the rest of my Top 5.

2019 Pegasus World Cup Power Rankings

1. Accelerate

He proved his doubters wrong by dominating what looked like a deep Breeders' Cup Classic field. What made his victory more impressive is how he broke from post-position 14, tracked the leaders through fast fractions, got the lead and held off the closers. Easily, he's the top horse in the world right now, but will he make it back-to-back unbelievable performances? That's the biggest question. I rank him first. That could change before January.

2. Monomoy Girl

The Breeders' Cup Distaff winner was every bit as impressive as Accelerate in the Classic. Monomoy's Girl's competition couldn't touch her. Anybody who saw Enable put the beat down on the fellas in both the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Breeders' Cup Turf knows that quality female runners can beat quality male runners.

Monomoy Girl could improve enough from now until the Pegasus World Cup to upset Accelerate. She might not even have to improve all that much.

3. City of Light

City of Light might have provided the most impressive performance on Breeders' Cup Champions Saturday. He got the first quarter-mile in 22.64 before running the half in 45.16. Although no other horses pressured City of Light, he still ran the first quarter-mile and half-mile in lightning fast time before holding off the other dirt mile competitors.

He should handle 1 1/8 miles no problem, which makes City of Light a true contender for the Pegasus World Cup.

4. Mendelssohn

He ran the half-mile in the BC Classic in 46.46 and still hung on for 5th. Before the Classic, he ran lights out in the Jockey Club Gold Cup when finishing 3rd after a brutal pace. He also finished 2nd in the Travers Stakes. So far, taking the lead and trying to steal it hasn't worked. He could try different tactics in the Pegasus World Cup. He's definitely fast enough to win the Pegasus while he's showed in his last 3 that the Kentucky Derby flop was more of an anomaly than anything else.

5. McKinzie

He bombed in the Classic after impressively winning the Pennsylvania Derby. The pace in the Classic wasn't something he had ever seen before. There are some things to like about Bob Baffert's top 3-year-old in training, though. He'll have grown some from now until the Pegasus World Cup. Also, the Pegasus is at 1 1/8 miles instead of 1 1/4 miles.

McKinzie could prove best just because he'll have more in store for the run to the wire in the Pegasus than he had in the Classic. I'm not writing his chances off at all.