Pegasus World Cup and Turf invitees released; Master of The Seas won't be coming

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The first invitation lists for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf were released Wednesday topped by a couple of horses coming off huge efforts in the Breeders’ Cup.

Dirt Mile runner-up National Treasure and Mile winner Master of The Seas headline the respective lists although the latter is not under consideration for the Turf. The Pegasus World Cup program, which also includes the $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf, will be run Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

National Treasure was beaten a nose by Horse of the Year candidate Cody’s Wish in the Dirt Mile, closing out a 3-year-old campaign that included a victory in the Preakness. His trainer, Bob Baffert, confirmed Wednesday that the plan, at the moment, is to run National Treasure in the Pegasus “if all goes well in the next few weeks.”

Other prominent invitees for the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup include the Brad Cox-trained duo of the Godolphin homebred First Mission and Saudi Crown; Hoist the Gold, runaway winner of the Grade 2 Cigar Mile in his 2023 finale; Trademark, who upset the Grade 2 Clark Stakes in his last start; local favorite Skippylongstocking, third behind National Treasure in the Dirt Mile; and Skippylongstocking’s Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained stablemate O’Connor and Aspen, the one-two finishers, respectively, here last weekend in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday.

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In addition to the 12 horses invited to the Pegasus, another eight runners are on the reserve list. Updated invitation lists will be released on Jan. 10 and Jan. 17.

Godolphin homebred Master of The Seas would have been the marquee name on the Pegasus card had he returned to the U.S. for the Turf following his thrilling nose decision over Mawj in the BC Mile for trainer Charlie Appleby.

“I got a message from Charlie this morning saying he was not planning to send Master of The Seas for the Pegasus, that he just felt the horse needed a little more time after traveling to the Breeders’ Cup, and that he was going to point for the [Dubai Turf] instead,” Godolphin’s Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan confirmed on Thursday. “The plan at the moment is to go to the Pegasus Classic with First Mission, who is training and doing very well at the present time.”

The Aidan O’Brien-trained multiple Group 1 European winner Warm Heart is also among the 12 invitees to the Pegasus Turf, along with defending champion Atone, who rallied to a three-quarter-length decision over Ivar in the event a year ago. Other notables on the invitation list include 2022 Breeders’ Cup Mile runner-up Shirl’s Speight and trainer Chad Brown’s Grade 1 winner Adhamo.

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