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Pegasus World Cup Eclipse Award Winners 2025 Year in Review Santa Anita Opening Day Hong Kong Cup Results |
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 Tyler Gaffalione celebrates aboard Skippylongstocking after winning the 2026 Pegasus World Cup
Pegasus World Cup Turf and Filly and Mare Turf results |
The 10th running of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) for older horses going 1 1/8 miles, one lap of the main track, was contested on Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach. Conditions were excellent in South Florida, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 80's, with the main track rated fast. New this year, the race is now a Breeders' Cup Challenge event in the Classic division. Disco Time was sent off as the 3-2 favorite in the field of 12, a perfect 5 for 5 lifetime so far including wins in the Lecomte (G3) a year ago followed by the St. Louis Derby and Dwyer Stakes. In to challenge him included 3-1 second choice Tappan Street, last year's Florida Derby (G1) winner off an allowance win last out, and 7-2 third choice and last year's winner White Abarrio off 4th place finishes in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), Whitney (G1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).
 Skippylongstocking rallies past White Abarrio in the stretch of the Pegasus World Cup |
Jockey Flavien Prat sent Disco Time to the lead first time by through fractions of 22.25, 46.08, and 1:09.87 while pressed by 19-2 Full Serrano and stalked by 18-1 Captain Cook. Into the stretch Disco Time tired as White Abarrio, 6th early, took over and opened a 1 1/2 length lead through 1 mile in 1:35.54. 21-1 Skippylongstocking, 9th early under Tyler Gaffalione, rallied down the center of the track to win going away by 1 3/4 lengths over White Abarrio in 1:48.49. It was a long 5 1/2 lengths back to Full Serrano third, while favorite Disco Time checked in 8th beaten 11 3/4 lengths.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Skippylongstocking Gaffalione 45.20 14.20 7.20 11 White Abarrio Ortiz Jr. 6.60 4.60 3 Full Serrano Velazquez 6.40 Winning Time: 1:48.49 $1 Exacta 5-11 133.50 $1 Trifecta 5-11-3 1,195.80 $1 Superfecta 5-11-3-9 9,901.10Results Chart |
Skippylongstocking heads to the winner's circle. Winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. who trains the first two finishers said, "It's amazing. At 7 years old, he was doing better than ever. The Harlan's Holiday was a big race. It was either, he was going to show up or he was going to be retired. He showed up, but he did better since then. I had all the confidence in him going into this race, but I was so focused on White Abarrio. I wanted Abarrio to come back and run in this race. A couple years ago we lost White Abarrio because we had to give him up. Skippy is who made us. I watched White Abarrio win the Whitney, and then you see your best horse win it for somebody else. Three weeks later Skippy won the Charles Town Classic. As I said, Skippylongstocking has been with us for a while. Forever grateful to him."
Left: Skippylongstocking in the post parade. Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione said, "Everything really went to plan. Saffie told me just to ride him with a lot of confidence, be patient with him, trust in his ability and he was there for me every step. The race set up the way we needed to. I was able to find a nice spot inside. He traveled well for me. Coming around the turn, he just kept building. And he just kept responding. When we got into the far turn I had to split horses, and as soon as I did he took a nice deep breath and started moving forward. I'm so thrilled for the team, and so happy for the horse. He really deserved this Grade 1 win."
Right: Skippylongstocking heads back to the barn after the race. Winning owner Daniel Alonso said, "It feels amazing. We've been knocking on Grade 1 here for a little bit. He's just such an amazing force. My dad, my mom, my wife, my family -- he's taken us on this amazing ride. We've run in some of the best races in the world. From the Whitney to the Charles Town to Hollywood, he's taken us on an amazing ride. To win the Grade 1 here at home in front of our friends and family, it means everything. Right jockey, right trainer, right team. We're going to Keeneland. I don't know where we're going to (run next), but we're going to Keeneland."
Left: Second place finisher and beaten favorite White Abarrio with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. after the race. Joseph said, "I'm so proud of White Abarrio. I can't believe how he ran for the preparation that he had, to come back the way he just did. I wanted Abarrio to come back safe and sound. It's a horse race and coming off a scratch [in the Breeders' Cup Classic] that's all I wanted today. If he came back good today, that was a good day. We didn't win a race the whole day. I just wanted him to be safe. It's such an emotional day." Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. added, "He ran an amazing race. He ran his race. He has a big heart. I trust him, I trust Saffie. He hadn't run in a long time, so I think it's not easy to come back here at 1 1/8 and run against his horses. To do what he did, it's amazing. I'm so happy for this horse. He's a very cool horse. He's given me a lot through the years. I don't want to see him get beat. He's a fighter."
Right: Third place finisher Full Serrano returns after the race. Jockey Joel Rosario said, "I had a great trip. He was running really good and turning for home it looked like he had a good chance to win. The horse inside came out a little bit and made it a little tight for him and I don't think he wanted to deal with that. He still ran all right. He was moving like he was going to do something."
The start of the Pegasus World Cup. Jockey Flavien Prat aboard 8th place finisher and beaten favorite Disco Time (post 1) said, "I had a good trip. Down the backside he relaxed well and then they came at me going into the turn and he just wasn't going anywhere at that point."
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