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 Junior Alvarado celebrates aboard Art Collector after winning the 2023 Pegasus World Cup
Pegasus World Cup Turf and Filly and Mare Turf results |
The seventh running of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by Baccarat for older horses was contested on Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach. Conditions were excellent in South Florida, with cloudy skies and temperatures in the high 70's, with the main track rated fast. Haskell (G1) winner Cyberknife was sent off as the 2-1 favorite in the field of 12 off his close second place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). In to challenge him included 3-1 second choice Defunded, winner of the Awesome Again (G1) and Native Diver (G3), and 11-2 third choice Proxy, winner of the Clark (G1).
 Art Collector leads down the stretch in the Pegasus World Cup |
Jockey Mike Smith sent 45-1 Stilleto Boy to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.61, 47.71, and 1:11.82 while pressed by Defunded and stalked by 15-1 Art Collector. Turning for home, Art Collector cameo ut 4 wide and took over at the 1/8 pole through 1 mile in 1:36.65. Kept to task by Junior Alvarado, Art Collector drew off late to win by 4 1/2 lengths over Defunded in 1:49.44. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Stilleto Boy third, while favorite Cyberknife was 8th early and failed to rally checking in sixth beaten 9 3/4 lengths.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 6 Art Collector Alvarado 33.00 12.40 8.60 5 Defunded Ortiz Jr. 5.00 4.00 11 Stilleto Boy Smith 11.40 Winning Time: 1:48.85 $1 Exacta 6-5 82.80 $1 Trifecta 6-5-11 2,394.70 $1 Superfecta 6-5-11-9 43,359.00Results Chart |
Left: Art Collector heads to the winner's circle. Winning owner Bruce Lunsford said, "Bill (Mott) and I have had a long-term relationship, back with Vision and Verse. We talked about it, and I give Bill credit for this, he said we're going to try something different. Let's lay him off. And he just kept getting better and better."
Right: Art Collector returns to the barn after the race. Winning trainer Bill Mott said, "We scripted (the ride) that way and it turned out that way. That doesn't happen but Junior rode him and did a great job. I told him just ride him like you ride Olympiad, and he rode him the same way."
Left: Art Collector in the paddock. Alvarado said, "I don't have the words to put it together. It's just unbelievable. I'm so glad that I got a chance to ride this horse. He's a very neat horse that I've been following for quite a while. I guess it was the perfect time and we got it done today."
Right: Art Collector in the post parade. Alvarado added, "I don't know how it gets any better than this. It's unbelievable having this win with Mott. ... I'm very grateful for the big support he's given me over the years. I'm just very happy right now."
Left: Second place finisher Defunded returns after the race. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said, "I had a beautiful trip. We wanted to have a clear break and we had it. He broke a step slow the last couple times so that was my goal to make him break. He put me in a perfect spot. I sat second and I just got beat. Second-best today."
Right: Third place finisher Stilleto Boy in the post parade. Trainer Ed Moger Jr. said, "It was our plan just to come out running from the [11] post. He usually breaks really, really well so we wanted to be right where we were."
Left: Winning jockey Junior Alvarado and trainer Bill Mott pose in the winner's circle.
The start of the Pegasus World Cup. Jockey Florent Geroux aboard favorite Cyberknife said, "I was right behind the speed the way I anticipated. I was right behind Skippylongstocking and I could tell already at the half-mile pole when [Cyberknife] was not taking me I knew he was pretty much done. He's a horse that usually travels great and likes to do it on his own."
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