11 January 25-31, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | Contents | Letters | news | night+Day | Culture | Cafe | MusiC | Arrogate, the most accomplished horse in the land at the time, won the one-and-one-eighth- mile race around Gulfstream’s dirt oval, and the Pegasus seemed poised to live up to Stronach’s lofty expectations. The following year, Stronach and the track kicked in $4 million to jack the purse up to $16 million. Again, the race was won by a Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, Gun Runner. In subse- quent years, however, the lavish entry fees were lowered to $500,000 and then to nothing, with the purse ultimately dropping to its present-day standard of $3 million. That’s still an incredibly lu- crative horse race, and with the likes of Knicks Go and Life Is Good prevailing in 2021 and 2022, re- spectively, it has typically continued to attract elite talent. But last year, the field wasn’t nearly as loaded, and a past-his-prime Art Collector pre- vailed. Same goes for this year’s race, which will be run on Saturday, January 27. Then again, while no one will ever confuse likely entrants Se- ñor Buscador, Skippylongstocking, National Treasure, and Saudi Crown with Arrogate or Gun Runner, they’re all seasoned stakes horses in what’s shaping up to be a competitive field. And from a bet- tor’s perspective, competition trumps star power in the quest for fatter bill- folds. The Pegasus undercard, which includes a $1 million turf championship as well as a $500,000 turf invitational for female horses, will offer bet- tors plenty of value as well. But as with the Ken- tucky Derby, Pegasus Day is as much about pageantry and partying as it is about fast animals. Mirroring Stronach’s penchant for extrava- gance, the winners of the World Cup and World Cup Turf Invitational will receive 20-inch crystal replicas of the winged Pegasus that are valued at around $40,000 apiece. This year’s post-race musical headliner is Cal- vin Harris, one of the planet’s most successful electronic music DJs who bears the distinction of being among Taylor Swift’s many exes. Swift has a blank space in her schedule — she doesn’t re- sume the international leg of her Eras Tour until February — and if she decides to pay her old beau a visit, she’ll be in the company of stars, as past Pegasus attendees have included Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Hudgens, Vin Diesel, Usher, Lenny Kravitz, Pharrell Williams, and Venus Williams, to name but a few. The prospect of rubbing shoulders with such luminaries might entice some attendees to pay anywhere from $400 to $1,000 for access to vari- ous VIP areas, including the Flamingo Room, Ten Palms, and the Baccarat Garden at the Terrace Club. Those simply seeking a spot at the rail will still have to shell out the somewhat princely sum of $150 for admission, but the idea is to win that back on the track. Pegasus World Cup. 10 a.m. Saturday, January 27, at Gulfstream Park, 901 S. Federal Hwy., Hallandale Beach; 954-454-7000; gulfstreampark.com. Tickets cost $175 to $600 via ticketmaster.com. [email protected] THE PEGASUS UNDERCARD, WHICH INCLUDES A $1 MILLION TURF CHAMPIONSHIP, OFFERS BETTORS PLENTY OF VALUE. Keep Up from p10 register to win at miaminewtimes.com/promos COOL STUFF go here to WIN
