Pegasus World Cup Turf: Nations Pride set as morning-line favorite
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HALLENDALE BEACH, Fla. – Nations Pride, a Grade 1 winner each of the past three seasons, was installed Sunday as the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. A full field of 12 will go postward that includes Integration, Major Dude, and Mi Hermano Ramon.
Nations Pride won the Grade 1 Arlington Million in 2024, the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine a year earlier, and the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational in 2022.
Integration finished second, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Nations Pride, in the Arlington Million. He was fifth as the 6-5 favorite in the 2024 Pegasus Turf. He is one of three horses trainer Shug McGaughey entered in the event along with Battle of Normandy and Fort Washington.
“Running in [last year’s Pegasus Turf] was kind of a last-minute thing, he didn’t get the best of trips,” McGaughey said. “I thought he ran a great race in the Arlington Million when second to the favorite here, Nations Pride. And I think we can probably turn the tables on him. He’s definitely a better horse than he was when he ran in this race a year ago.”
Major Dude won the local prep for the Pegasus Turf, the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale, in his 2024 finale, while Mi Hermano Ramon is coming off a second-place finish in the Grade 2 San Gabriel on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.
Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf
A field of 12 plus two also-eligibles was drawn for the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf, with Raqiya the tepid 4-1 morning-line favorite off a wire-to-wire, 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Goldikova at Del Mar in her U.S. debut on Nov. 2.
The well-matched field for the 1 1/16-mile Filly and Mare Turf also includes Sacred Wish, who became a Grade 1 winner for the first time last month at Del Mar when upsetting Gina Romantica in the Matriarch, and the multiple graded stakes-placed Fluffy Socks who finished fourth in this event a year ago.
Raqiya is one of two runners entered in the race trained by Todd Pletcher along with Bless My Stars. Both Saffie Joseph Jr. and Mark Casse have a pair in the field, with Joseph entering outsiders Be Your Best and In Our Time and Casse countering with Pounce and Papilio.
The remainder of the lineup includes Ocean Club, Watchtower, Minoushka, Dona Clota, and See You Around. Dona Clota, a Chilean-bred who will be making her U.S. debut, is trained by Ignacio Correas IV, who won this race a year ago with Didia.
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