Tag: Gulfstream Park

Knicks Go (right) illustrated why he is one of 2021's star racing attractions, blazing past his rivals to win the $3 million Pegasus World Cup. (Image: Associated Press)

Knicks Go Dunks on His Rivals Again, Wins Pegasus Gate-to-Wire

Enjoy Knicks Go while you can. Savor every start of his 5-year-old campaign, while you understand you’re watching horseracing’s star attraction of 2021. Knicks Go brought this lesson home in gate-to-wire fashion, winning the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday afternoon. It’s certainly understandable if Knicks […]

If Knicks Go gets an unchallenged lead like he did in blitzing the field ini the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, the Pegasus World Cup will be over in short order. The 5-year-old is the 5/2 favorite in the $3 million race. (Image: Coady Photography/Keeneland)

Without Baffert, Knicks Go’s Fast Break Makes Him Pegasus Favorite

If horses run in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and Bob Baffert doesn’t train any of them, does it really happen? We’re about to find out what the richest dirt race for older horses in North America – non-Breeders’ Cup division – looks like without the preeminent dirt trainer of […]

Colonel Liam put on stars with this resounding Tropical Park Derby victory last month. He is the 7/2 morning-line favorite in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf. (Image: Lauren King/Coglianese Photos)

Colonel Liam Leads Pletcher Charge in $1 Million Pegasus Turf

As strange as it is to understand, turf maestro Chad Brown doesn’t have a horse in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf. Meanwhile, his East Coast training rival, Todd Pletcher, is bringing three charges to what is typically the best winter turf route race of the year. Before we […]

Knicks Go and Joel Rosario won the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last November. The 5-year-old Brad Cox charge is the 5/2 favorite for Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. (Image: Skip Dickstein)

Knicks Go Draws Prime Pegasus Post, Tabbed as 5/2 Favorite

With three straight victories in as many 2020 starts, Knicks Go is exactly the type of horse who wins the Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Now, add a prime starting spot from Post 4 to the mix, and it’s easy to understand how Knicks Go became the 5/2 favorite when Pegasus […]

Last time out, Shivaree set the Tampa Bay Downs stakes record en route to winning the Marion County Florida Sire Stakes. The runner-up in last year's Florida Derby returns to action Saturday in the Fred Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park. (Image: SV Photography)

The Pegasus Isn’t the Only Stakes Race This Weekend

Saturday brings us the first two Grade 1 stakes races of 2021: the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the Pegasus World Cup Turf, coming to you from Gulfstream Park. The Florida track captures this weekend’s stakes spotlight with those two high-profile races, along with five other graded stakes on its […]

Ride a Comet outdueled Casa Creed down the Gulfstream Park stretch to win the Tropical Turf last weekend. Duplicating that in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf Invitational will be a much bigger ask for the 6-year-old. (Image: Lauren King/Coglianese Photos)

Independence Hall, Coastal Defense, Ride a Comet Grab Pegasus Invites

With Charlatan and Mucho Gusto passing up Pegasus invites, Independence Hall and Coastal Defense became the latest two invites for the Jan. 23, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational. They’ve earned spots on the also-eligible list for the Grade 1 race. Along with that, Ride a Comet parlayed his victory […]

Fighting Mad captured the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes last May over Hard Not To Love. The two meet again in Saturday's Grade 2 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita Park. (Image: Benoit Photo)

The Older Set Takes Over the Stakes Spotlight at Santa Anita, Gulfstream

Last week, the sophomores stole the stage. Now, it’s the older horses’ turn to seize the stakes spotlight, dim as it may be this weekend. This weekend’s stakes schedule doesn’t scream “high profile.” After all, 2021’s first Grade 1s are still two weeks away. But, it does raise its voice […]

Todd Pletcher usually has a reason to smile around Gulfstream Park. He sends a quarter of the 12-horse field into the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. (Image: Coglianese Photography)

Pletcher’s Trio Leads Pegasus World Cup Turf Invite List

Todd Pletcher’s considerable depth at Gulfstream Park manifested itself again when the Hall of Fame trainer snagged three of the 16 invites to the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, the companion race to the Pegasus World Cup Invitational. The Grade 1, 1-3/16-mile Pegasus Turf runs Jan. 23 as […]

Mucho Gusto seized last year's Pegasus World Cup title. He returns as one of two Bob Baffert entries in the Jan. 23 race at Gulfstream Park. (Image: Getty)

Knicks Go, Charlatan, Mucho Gusto Headline Pegasus World Cup Invites

Bob Baffert will take two of his older mainstays, Mucho Gusto and Charlatan, into his bid for a third Pegasus World Cup Invitational title. Those two are among the 16 horses earning invites to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. The 1-1/8-mile Pegasus headlines a seven-graded […]

Mutasaabeq already owns a Grade 2 victory with his Bourbon Stakes win in October. He'll try duplicating the feat back on dirt in Saturday's Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park. (Image: Coady Photography)

Mutasaabeq Trades Turf for Dirt As Mucho Macho Man Favorite

You’ve seen Mutasaabeq on the front page of Kentucky Derby futures prospects. Now, you’ll see him back on dirt in Saturday’s Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park. When you do, you’ll see the Todd Pletcher-trained, son of Into Mischief take marquee status in Gulfstream Park’s first Derby prep of […]

Sittin On Go turned in a go-go performance winning the Iroquois Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard. He makes his 3-year-old debut as one of the sophomores to watch in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park. (Image: Jamie Newell/Twin Spires)

Life Is Good for Derby Prep Watchers on this Weekend’s Stakes Slate

Life Is Good returns this weekend as the leading player among several Kentucky Derby contenders and would-be contenders among three Derby preps on both coasts. And those Derby contenders and would-be Derby contenders? They lose their juvenile status and become official 3-year-olds on Friday. Aqueduct, Santa Anita Park, and Gulfstream […]

Charlatan returns to action for the first time in seven months on a stakes-packed opening day at Santa Anita Park. (Image: Horsephotos)

Unwrap Plenty of Stars in Santa Anita Park’s Boxing Day Opener

Santa Anita Park’s opening day marks the return of this year’s Pegasus World Cup champion for the first time in 10 months. And poor Mucho Gusto; he’s not remotely the headline attraction. For that, he can thank Nashville, Charlatan, and Independence Hall, who all smashed and grabbed Mucho Gusto’s spotlight […]

Prime Factor became a prime Kentucky Derby futures bet after he and Irad Ortiz Jr. blitzed a Gulfstream Park maiden field by 7 3/4 lengths. (Image: Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo)

Prime Factor Becomes Choice Derby Futures Pick After Debut Romp

There were no high-profile stakes races for 2-year-olds last weekend, a fact that didn’t prevent high-profile movement in this week’s Kentucky Derby futures odds. The highest-profile movement came from a new entry to the front rank of Derby prospects, the aptly named Prime Factor. Before his 8-¾-length victory in his […]

Tax captured the Harlan's Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park for his first victory since he and Irad Ortiz Jr. won this Jim Dandy stakes 17 months ago. (Image: Chelsea Durand/NYRA)

This Tax Return Pays Off in Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Romp

His return wasn’t inevitable, but Tax season is here again. Making only his third start in his 4-year-old season, Tax romped to victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Harlon’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He tore away from the field en route to a 4-½-length victory over 10/1 shot, Eye of […]

Gulfstream Park is pondering installing a synthetic track, like this Polytrack Del Mar used from 2007-14. The new surface would take stress off Gulfstream Park's turf course. (Image: San Diego Union-Tribune)

Gulfstream Park Considering Going the Synthetic Track Course

Gulfstream Park officials are considering adding a synthetic Tapeta track to its dirt and turf courses, a move that would make the Florida track the first racecourse in North America to offer three different surfaces: dirt, turf, and synthetic. Aidan Butler, The Stronach Group’s COO, told Thoroughbred Daily News they […]

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, you won't be able to walk to the Santa Anita Park window to bet and cash winning tickets. But the Southern California track has you covered with a smorgasbord of wagers on its upcoming Winter/Spring Meet. (Image: Mario Tama/Getty)

No Spectators? No Problem as Santa Anita Offers Myriad of Wagers

Santa Anita Park unveiled a betting menu for its upcoming Winter/Spring Meet that includes North America’s lowest takeout on win-place-show bets, and its popular 20 cent Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot wager. The iconic Southern California track announced a 15.43% takeout on all $2 win, place, and show wagers. That’s the […]

Bodexpress became a YouTube sensation for dumping jockey John Velazquez at the start of the 2019 Preakness Stakes. But the horse matured into a Grade 1 winner before his sudden retirement. (Image: John McDonnell/Washington Post via AP)

Preakness Punchline Turned Clark Stakes Winner Bodexpress Retired

Bodexpress, who went from comedic punchline to Grade 1 winner, was retired late Sunday night, nine days after the biggest win of his career. Trainer and part-owner Gustavo Delgado tweeted out a message late Sunday night that the colt suffered “a career-ending injury.” That injury was described as a swollen […]

Luis Saez won six races in a day for the second time at Gulfstream Park. He won five of the nine Claiming Crown races. (Image: Coady Photography/Churchill Downs)

Saez Claims Himself a Six-Pack of Victories on Claiming Crown Day

On a day where Gulfstream Park set a handle record for its Claiming Crown series of races, two-time Gulfstream Park riding champion Luis Saez captured six of the track’s 11 races on Saturday. Saez, who won the Gulfstream Park riding titles in 2016-17 and 2017-18, won five of the nine […]

There's a good chance that Gulfstream Park races like this will start at or near post time. The Florida track wants to eliminate post-time drag -- starting races at or near schedule post times. (Image: Gulfstream Park)

Set Your Watches to Wager as Gulfstream Ends Post-Time Drag

Gulfstream Park wasted little time in between races on Wednesday, setting a novel precedent at the South Florida track in starting races as close to the listed post times as possible. On the track’s opening day, Gulfstream Park officials made a concerted effort to eliminate what’s known as “post-time drag.” […]