Get Ready for the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational

The Stronach Group has decided to add a turf race to it's Pegasus World Cup program. Starting on January 26, Gulfstream Park will not only showcase the best horses in the world on dirt, it will also showcase the best horses in the world on turf.

With a purse of $7 million, the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational will automatically become the richest turf race in the world. $3 million goes towards the winner.

Listed below, are the 5 horses that have so far shown an interest in running in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. Check out a profile of each!

Likely Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Entrants (So Far!)

Glorious Empire

Sure, the front runner ridden by Julien Leparoux and trained by James L. Lawrence failed in the Breeders' Cup Turf when finishing 13th, but it's unlikely Enable runs in this race. In fact, Glorious Empire should knock heads with turfers on his level. Not only that, but the race is at 1 3/16 miles instead of 1 1/2. If Glorious Empire runs, he must be taken very seriously as a wire-to-wire possibility.

Aerolithe

This 4-year-old filly could do no better than 12th in her last race, the Group 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto Racecourse in Japan. Before that run, she finished second in the prestigious Group 1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse. She'll be a longshot in this, but her pattern suggests she'll run much better at Gulfstream Park on January 26 than she did at Kyoto. She tends to bounce out of bad races with good efforts.

Magical

It took a massive effort by Enable for the Aidan O'Brien miss to lose out on winning the Breeders' Cup Turf. Aidan knew she was sitting on a monster effort when she entered the Churchill Downs starting gate. Enable's the best racehorse in the world. If she doesn't show up, Magical projects to be the chalk even if some of the more highly touted male runners enter.

Arklow

The Brad Cox trainee remained in excellent form with a surprising 4th place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf behind Enable, Magical, and Sadler's Joy. Before the run in the BC Turf, he had finished second to Zulu Alpha in the Sycamore. The 1 3/16 should flatter his closing kick. This guy's got a good one. He almost caught Zulu Alpha after lagging behind a first-quarter pace that went in over 26 seconds.

Catapult

John Sadler trains this Kitten's Joy progeny who finished second to Expert Eye in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Because Kitten's Joy sired him, Catapult should have no trouble with the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf distance. He showed his quality almost winning the Mile over some very good horses like Analyze It, Lightning Spear, Divisidero and Gustav Klimt. He'll be one of the favorites if he makes the race.

Glorious Empire, Aerolithe, Catapult, Magical, and Arklow aren't the only horses who will enter the starting gate for the Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 26. Will the winner come from a horse that decides to join the fray in January? Or, will one of the horses listed her take the $3 million winner's share?