Tipsheet: 2023 Pegasus World Cup

An overflow field of 14 will travel 1 1/8 miles on the Gulfstream Park main oval in Saturday’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1).

Pegasus World Cup Picks

• #4 White Abarrio
• #10 Cyberknife
• #1 Proxy
• #6 Art Collector
• #7 Skippylongstocking

Pegasus World Cup Wagers

• $20 win and place: #4 White Abarrio
• $5 exacta: key box 4 with 1, 6, 7, 10
• 50-cent trifecta: 4 with 1, 6, 7, 10 with all

Pegasus World Cup Contenders

#1 PROXY (9-2): Earned his biggest win to date with a game score in the Clark S. (G1) at Churchill Downs last time out. The Godolphin homebred won or placed in each of his six attempts in 2022 and has trained well in anticipation of his local debut for Michael Stidham. The Tapit five-year-old will be saving ground along the rail throughout with Joel Rosario in the silks. 

#2 SIMPLIFICATION (15-1): A Grade 2 winner on the oval who has come up short in seven straight outings for Antonio Sano. The Not This Time colt was a clear third in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) last time out and is a top-three contender if he moves up second time off the layoff. Paco Lopez will be in the controls.

#3 RIDIN WITH BIDEN (20-1): Has won three of his last four but will need a major step forward on the class rise on this occasion. The Constitution gelding has the gate presence to keep touch early on but would be a surprise to me.

#4 WHITE ABARRIO (10-1): Dons a sterling four-for-four mark on the surface and gets top billing in the deep and well-matched field. The Saffie Joseph pupil tuned up for this endeavor with a close third in the Cigar Mile (G1) in December, and he has been posting some swift morning drills in the interim. The Race Day colt will be guided home by Tyler Gaffalione.

#5 DEFUNDED (6-1): Has never been better for conditioner Bob Baffert. The peaking gelding comes off a pair of graded stakes tallies in succession, led by a coup in the Awesome Again (G1) two prior, and the five-year-old will bring a lot of pace to the event. Irad Ortiz riding adds to his appeal.

#6 ART COLLECTOR (10-1): A Grade 1 victor who possesses both the speed and class to be a major force in the contest. The Bill Mott trainee comes in fresh with solid morning drills in advance of Saturday, and his running style seems perfectly suited for the Gulfstream Park oval. Junior Alvarado will take the reins.

#7 SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING (5-1): Easily best in the local prep for this race, the Harlan’s Holiday S. (G3), and the four-year-old colt is an obvious contender in a field full of them. The second of three runners for Saffie Joseph, he is a three-time winner locally and gets a nice draw outside of the major pace in the race. Jose Ortiz will have the son of Exaggerator stalking the tempo from the break.

#8 GET HER NUMBER (15-1): Just missed in the Cigar Mile H. (G1) in his most recent venture for conditioner Peter Miller. The Dialed In five-year-old is a question mark at the distance and will need a career-best showing to be close inside the final furlong on Saturday. Luis Saez retains the mount.

#9 LAST SAMURAI (20-1): Hasn’t won in more than eight months and appears to be a bit outclassed for D. Wayne Lukas. The Malibu Moon chestnut will have Frankie Dettori in the controls.

#10 CYBERKNIFE (5-2): Rates as the likely one to beat for conditioner Brad Cox. The dual Grade 1 winner capped a fine sophomore campaign with a narrow defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland, and he seems poised to give a fine showing of himself in his first try at Gulfstream Park. Regular pilot Florent Geroux will be up.

#11 STILLETO BOY (30-1): Finished third in the race in 2022 and is always a top-three contender for Ed Moger. The hard-trying five-year-old has won or placed in each of his three tries at the distance and will have Mike Smith in the silks once again. He will stalk the pace in the early stages.

#12 O’CONNOR (10-1): An even fourth in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) and drew an impossible post for this endeavor. The Chilean import will appreciate the added ground on Saturday, but he will need a huge step forward to challenge for the victory under Javier Castellano.

#14 ENDORSED (15-1): Picked up a nice fourth-place check in the event last campaign but will face much more depth in this renewal of the lucrative race if he gets into the main body of the field.