Pegasus World Cup Turf Betting Guide

The Pegasus World Cup Turf is one of the most lucrative turf races of the season in the United States and takes place annually in February. You can learn all about the famous Grade 1 right here, including finding the trends that could help find the winner of the race in 2022.

Pegasus World Cup Turf Event Details


The Pegasus World Cup Turf will take place in February 2022, as the finest horses aged four and over race across the turf over a distance of 1 3/16 miles. This race takes place at Gulfstream Park and is the main race on the undercard before the Pegasus World Cup. The race has a purse of $1 million, which is considerably lower than the prize purse before it became an invitational race.

Pegasus World Cup Turf Preview


The Pegasus World Cup Turf will not be taking place until early in 2022, which means that declarations for the race will not be made until the start of next year. However, to help find the trends of a winner of this race, we can examine past winners.


  • Colonel Liam (2021)

  • Zulu Alpha (2020)

  • Bricks and Mortar (2019)

  • Heart to Heart (2018)

  • Almanaar (2017)


Colonel Liam was the most recent winner of the race, as he won at the age of four. This was the first time that a four-year-old had won the race since Lochte in 2014. He was also only the third four-year-old winner of the Pegasus World Cup Turf since 2007. Colonel Liam’s run in the race was his first attempt at a Grade 1, as he had previously run in allowances and Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes.


He had won just twice in four starts before lining up at Gulfstream Park. His age means that he could yet return to become a multiple champion in this race, and if successful, he would become the first two-time winner since Einstein in 2006 and 2008.


Zulu Alpha was one of the most respected winners of the race, as he smashed the speed record when winning at a time of 1:51.60. The win gave Michael Maker the first victory in this race, and he became the second seven-year-old to win the race in four years.


Unlike Colonel Liam, Zulu Alpha was a proven performer at graded company. He finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf before the Pegasus World Cup and had won the G3 Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes and G2 Mac Diarmida Stakes.


Bricks And Mortar won the race in 2019, and he was often the horse standing in front of Zulu Alpha, winning further graded races. The Chad Brown-trained horse won the race in 2019, as he won by two and a half lengths from Magic Wand. He had finished third in back-to-back Grade 3s before the Grade 1.


Much of his best form actually came after the Grade 1, as he went on to win the G1 Old Forester Turf Classic Stakes and G1 Arlington Million. However, Bricks and Mortar and Zulu Alpha both had in common that they had won graded races before lining up for the Grade 1. Bricks and Mortar’s victory came in the G2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga.

Pegasus World Cup Turf Event Information


The race was initially known as the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. The distance covered in the race has altered throughout its history, with the renewals between 1986 and 1990 being competed over 1 1/16 miles. However, the distance was increased between 1991 and 2008, before being reduced once again in 2009.


It has been an invitational race since 2020, which means that the purse has been reduced. Prior to 2020, the total purse of the first running of the race Stakes was $7 million in 2019. As mentioned previously, Zulu Alpha is the holder of the speed record, as he won the race in 2020 at a time of 1:51.60. Einstein is the one two-time winner of the race, while Jerry Bailey is the leading jockey with seven wins. William Mott is the trainer that has recorded the most victories, as he has trained the winner on five occasions.

Pegasus World Cup Turf Betting Information


Making wagers on the Pegasus World Cup Turf is exceptionally popular, as there is often a talented field involved. You can learn about some of the bets that you can place on the Grade 1 below.


  • Win: Putting a stake on the horse that you think will win the race is the most straightforward bet that gamblers can make.

  • Place: Many sportsbooks offer three places on the Pegasus World Cup Turf. That means gamblers will have to make a selection to finish in the top three.

  • Exacta: Bets can also be placed on the first two horses. However, wagers must correctly predict the runners that finish in first and second to get returns.