Before we witness how the next Pegasus World Cup Champion will dominate the race this coming January, it is best to look back and get to know the last five champions of the Pegasus Cup.

Before we hand-over the title to the upcoming winner, let’s pay tribute to the past winners. They all deserve the title as they have shown dominance and power on the race track. Without further ado, here are the winners of the Pegasus Cup from 2016 to 2020.

2017 – Arrogate

The first-ever Pegasus World Cup race in 2017 was dominated by the record-holder Arrogate. He set the undefeated track time when he finished the one ⅛ mile track in just 1 minute and 47 seconds. The 2017 Pegasus World Cup had become the stage for the rematch between Arrogate and California Chrome.

It was also the last race for Chrome before his retirement. Both Arrogate and Chrome are co-favorites of the race, but luck favored the former. Arrogate died last June 2, 2020, at seven years old.

2018 – Gun Runner

Gun Runner finished the race with 1:47.41 on the clock. He outran West Coast and Gunnevera, the two horses he also beat in the Breeder’s Cup 2017 race. Gun Runner’s owner won a net of $7 million from that particular Pegasus race.

Gun Runner was initially designed to compete in the 2017 running of the Pegasus World Cup. However, he was denied because he was sharing a stable with two other horses who acquired a contagious disease. The management decided not to accept his entry to protect all the other horses in the race.

2019 – City of Light

Javier Castellano brought City of Light to his victory in the Pegasus World Cup 2019. He defeated Seeking the Soul, who came in second and Accelerate, who won third place. The race’s total purse reached $9 million, and $4 million of it will go to the winner.

With 1:47.41 in the clock, he reached the finish line and claimed the victory. It was a rainy day at the race that made the track sloppy, which did not help other contenders. However, even with the given circumstances, City of Light did his best to give a spectacular performance.

2020 – Mucho Gusto

Trained by the well-known Bob Baffert, Mucho Gusto is the current favorite racehorse by most fans. With Baffert’s training skills plus the expertise of Irad Ortiz, Jr., Mucho Gusto has conquered the race.

Baffert also trained the late Arrogate, who was the first-time Pegasus World Cup Champion making this his second win in this well-known horse racing event. Mucho Gusto took home $3 million that day.

2021 Pegasus Cup Contenders

Another 13 horses will fill the Gulfstream Park with excitement as they will run to the finish line and take home the cup. According to their ranking as the favorite based on fan votes, below is the list of the official contenders for the next Pegasus Cup race according to their ranking as favorite.

  1. Tiz the Law
  2. Knicks Go
  3. Code of Honor
  4. True Timber
  5. Mucho Gusto
  6. Charlatan
  7. Owendale
  8. King Guillermo
  9. Tax
  10. Jesus’ Team
  11. Math Wizard
  12. Mystic Guide
  13. Eye of A Jedi

As you can see, Mucho Gusto will try to defend his title, but he was lagging behind Tiz the Law, who is the number one favorite. The defending champion is only fifth on the favorite list.

Tiz the Law is the winner of the 2020 Belmont Stakes, 2020 Travers Stakes, and the 2020 Holy Bull Stakes. He was also the second runner-up for Authentic in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. With his record, it is highly possible that Tiz the Law will take home the championship.

Trainer Bob Baffert entered two of his trainees to the next Pegasus Cup race. One is Mucho Gusto, and the other is Charlatan. The upcoming Pegasus World Cup race would be its fifth running since it was established in 2017.

Pegasus Cup History

Frank Stronach is the one who first suggested the idea of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes in 2016. The original proposal suggested a one and ¼ mile race. There were two location options: the Santa Anita Park and the current location of the race, the Gulfstream Park.

It was also proposed that the race should be scheduled from mid to late January to avoid interfering with both the Breeder’s Cup and the Dubai World Cup. The Pegasus World Cup Series is now known to be the richest horse race, with a $12 million purse that surpassed the Dubai World Cup.

Today, the race will be run within a one and ⅛ miles race track a little lower than the original plan. This race is open for American Thoroughbred racehorses aged four years old and up weighing 124 lbs and three lbs allowance.

Takeaway

Seasoned bettors know how important it is to study the past champions of a racing event. This helps them determine what traits a horse should have to reign victorious, allowing them to have a clear picture of what to expect during the race.

Now that you know who the past champions are, you can now cross-reference them to your favorite contender and see if he got what it takes to be the champion. But if you’re a new bettor looking to place your first bet, click here for more information about wagering on this year’s Pegasus Cup.