We continue. (Ryan Thompson)
Gulfstream Park Press
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Two mares were able to end their careers with a victory. Another hopes to avenge last year’s loss. A fourth hopes to win her first graded race since 2024. And another hopes to follow up a stakes win on this course with her first graded win.
Welcome to the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2), where a wide-open field of a dozen stakes winners, seven of which are ranked, makes the 1 1/16-mile event one of the most competitive fields bettors will see Saturday during the 10th anniversary celebration of Pegasus World Cup Day.
The first race on Saturday is at 11am. If the 20-cent Rainbow 6 isn’t released Thursday or Friday, the estimated pool will be $4 million.
Two exceptional mares, Caitlinhergrtness And Herediacould make their final start in the Pegasus Filly Mare Turf Invitational. Caitlinhergrtness beat the boys in the prestigious 2024 King’s Plate at Woodbine, winning the Ontario Matron (G3) last year and coming second in the Dance Smartly (G2) and Bessarabian (G3). The daughter of Omaha Beach enters this race after winning the My Charmer on December 21 at Turfway Park.
“There was a possibility that after the last race it would be the end,” said trainer Kevin Attard. “We chose to give this race a chance, and she is in good shape and I am happy with the way she has adapted.”
Caitlinghergrtness has six wins and four seconds in 17 starts. She has been a model of consistency in her last six starts, with the exception of a fifth-place finish last year in the 1 ¼ mile EP Taylor (G1).
“She has been very honest,” Attard continued. “The EP Taylor, 10 furlongs is more than what she wants. The one-turn mile, she doesn’t like that. Two turns is what she likes.”
Heredia, trained by Graham Motion, is a 7-year-old mare by Dark Angel. She won the Yellow Ribbon (G2) at the front at Del Mar in August, but then closed out being beaten by less than two lengths in the First Lady (G1) at Keeneland. She placed fifth in the Matriarch (G1) at Del Mar in November. She has seven wins in 17 starts on the field.
“This will definitely be her last race,” said Motion. “I kind of persuaded the team to bring her here shortly after her last start. I don’t think she had any excuses last time in the first class, but I think she can be competitive on Saturday if she puts in her best performance.
‘She was a nice mare to be around, and Wathnan [Racing] He’s been so patient with her,” he added. “She came to us and we had to give her a year off almost immediately, so it was very rewarding to see her win a particular race. It would be a great way to win this race.”
Heredia and Caitlinhergrtness, like the rest of the field, will have to beat a very lukewarm favorite Whiskey concludes. Trained by Chad Brown, the 5-year-old daughter of Into Mischief has one win on her resume, at Monmouth at Eatontown (G3) in June. She returned in August and finished fourth at the Ballston Spa (G2) at Saratoga before winning the Athenia at Aqueduct in September.
Both Saffie Joseph Jr. as Mark Casse will saddle two in the Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf.
Joseph, who won last year’s Be Your Best, sends In Our Time and We continue. In our time set the pace in the Filly & Mare Turf last year before finishing third. She enters the race from a second place in the Matriarch. Movin’ On Up, two for three over the course, finishes in second place in the Suwannee River.
“Both are doing well,” Joseph said. “Movin’ On Up is doing well. It’s clear she loves the course and has the course record on the track. She ran well last time. Hopefully she runs big again. In Our Time’s goal was this race after finishing third last year. She’s coming off a big run.”
“There are a lot of horses with chances. Hopefully we win back-to-back.”
And again And Classic Q look for Mark Casse.
And One More Time won the Natalma (G1) at Woodbine as a 2-year-old in September 2024. She returned from a year’s layoff in September to win an optional allowance claimer at Woodbine before finishing second here in the Tropical Park Oaks by a head. Classic Q hasn’t won a particular stakes yet, but she has been competitive in her last four starts – all against rated company.
Both Golden fate And Crevalle d’Oro come into the race with wins on the Gulfstream course. Destino d’Oro won the Tropical Park Oaks for trainer Brad Cox, while Crevalle d’Oro won the Suwannee River for trainer Jose D’Angelo.
Trainer Miguel Clement is going to saddle up Breathe away. The six-year-old Grade 2 winner, born in Britain, was beaten by just three lengths in the Matriarch at Del Mar in November. She has a 2-2-1 record in six starts at Gulfstream. Oisin Murphy drives.
Since the first edition in 2022, only the first winner, Regal Glory, closed from far back. Queen Goddess (2023), Didia (2024) and Be Your Best (2025) were all fourth or closer in the half mile.
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