Racing Fans Hoping For A Rematch In Inaugural Pegasus World Cup

By: Staff

In the past, after the Breeders’ Cup, the only thing left of the racing schedule was the Eclipse Awards, which acknowledges the best horses of the year. The first big chance thoroughbred racing fans get to bet on horse racing is in March at the prestigious Dubai World Cup, which used to be the biggest money race of the year, with a $10 million purse.

Next year, the stakes will be even higher with a $12 million purse at the inaugural Pegasus World Cup, which will be held at the Stronach Group’s Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, FL. on January 28th 2017. Not only will the purse for the Pegasus World Cup be double the Breeders’ Cup Classic, it will also be run at the shorter distance of 1 1/8-miles.

Unlike the run of the mill stakes races that occur over the course of the year, the Pegasus World Cup will be limited to 12 horses, of which the owners will put up $1 million each in order to run. Additionally to their piece of the $12 million purse, the owners will also share in the pari-mutuel handle, media rights to the event and sponsorships.

Due to the size of the purse, many have been speculating about which horses will participate. One fan favorite that has already been confirmed to race at the Pegasus World Cup is California Chrome, who came close to winning the Triple Crown in 2014 and finished out his three-year-old campaign winning the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.

Horse racing fans would love to see a rematch between California Chrome and Arrogate, who defeated California Chrome by half-a-length in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 5 at Santa Anita Park. Though fans have been clamoring for a rematch, Arrogate’s trainer Bob Baffert has not yet confirmed whether or not the colt will run in the race. The rematch, however, would greatly add to the excitement of the inaugural Pegasus World Cup.

Unlike the other big races, which award 60 percent of the purse to the winning horse, 20 percent to second place, 11 percent to third place, 6 percent to fourth place, and 3 percent to fifth place, the Pegasus World Cup awards 58 percent ($7 million) to the winning horse, 14.58 percent ($1.75 million) to second place, 8.3 percent ($1 million) to third place, and 2.1 percent ($250,000) thereafter.

The change in the distribution suggests that the organizers are placing a greater emphasis on winning the race. With a $7 million winning purse and a much smaller prize for finishing second, every trainer will be trying to get the win and the big prize that comes with it.

As with everything new, there will be a lot of naysayers and people who will try to diminish the race because of the different rules; but if the success of the Dubai World Cup has taught us anything, it is that owners love having their horses competing on the largest stages in the world and all the acclaim that comes with it, which suggests that the Pegasus World Cup is likely to be a big success with a bright future.

All that is left to do now is eagerly await the date and hope that the horse racing gods give us – the fans – what we long to see: a rematch between California Chrome and Arrogate on what will now be the biggest stage in our sport.