BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE

 HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Gulfstream Park’s 2026-2027 Championship Meet will offer a winter schedule of 66 stakes – 27 graded – and will be highlighted by the 11th running of Pegasus World Cup Invitational (Grade 1) and Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) presented by EquiTrack Jan. 30, and the 76th running of the EquiTrack Florida Derby (G1) March 27.

The Championship Meet, the winter home of Thoroughbred racing’s most accomplished horses, trainers and jockeys, will begin Thanksgiving Day, November 26 and run through March 28. 

The Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series has welcomed legendary Thoroughbred racehorses including Arrogate (Longines 2016 World’s Best Racehorse and inaugural 2017 Pegasus World Cup Invitational winner), two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome; and Horses of the Year Gun Runner, Knicks Go and Bricks and Mortar; Preakness (G1) winner National Treasure; Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner City of Light and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan. Six of the 10 previous Pegasus World Cup Invitational winners have also won Breeders’ Cup races. Meanwhile, the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational has welcomed horses from Japan, Ireland, the United Kingdom, South America and South Africa.

The final purses of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational, Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational and Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2) will be announced shortly.

“We are finalizing the purse structure for the 2027 Pegasus World Cup and evaluating a few opportunities around the event that could impact the final purse,” Executive Vice President of 1/ST Racing Mike Rogers said. “Rather than delay the release of the overall Gulfstream Park stakes schedule, we felt it was better to publish the schedule now and list the Pegasus purses as to-be-determined. We expect to announce the final purses shortly.”

Prep races for Pegasus Day will take place December 26 with the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G3), $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday (G3) and $150,000 Suwannee River. The $150,000 Mucho Macho Man for 2-year-olds and the $150,000 Ginger Bew for 2-year-old fillies will also be featured.

The $1 million EquiTrack Florida Derby, which has produced four of the last 11 Kentucky Derby winners and a total of 26 overall winners, will be part of Gulfstream’s popular 3-year-old series that includes the Jan. 23 Holy Bull (G3) and the Feb. 27 Fountain of Youth (G2). Holy Bull Day will offer five stakes, two graded, with purses totaling $850,000. Fountain of Youth Day will offer nine stakes, eight graded, with total purses of $1.8 million while the Florida Derby will be one of 10 stakes, five graded, with total purses of $2.45 million.

Gulfstream will also offer 3-year-old fillies a road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with the Forward Gal (G3) Jan. 23, Davona Dale (G2) Feb. 27, and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 27.

Some of the best turf horses in North America will once again be showcased over Gulfstream’s course. Along with the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf and Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational, turf races on Pegasus Day include the W.L. McKnight (G3), Christophe Clement (G3), and Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

There will be six turf stakes – five graded – on Fountain of Youth Day. They are the Mac Diarmida (G2), Canadian Turf (G3), Honey Fox (G3), The Very One (G3), Herecomesthebride (G3) and Colonel Liam. 

Florida Derby Day will also feature six turf stakes. They are the Pan American (G3), Orchid (G3), Appleton, Sand Springs, Sanibel Island and Cutler Bay.

Opening Day of the Championship Meet will also feature two turf stakes for juveniles – the $100,000 Wait a While for fillies and the $100,000 Pulpit. Both will be run at 7 1/2 furlongs.

MEET HIGHLIGHTS                 

Nov. 26: Opening Day

$100,000 Wait a While, 2-year-old fillies on turf

$100,000 Pulpit, 2-year-olds on turf 

(both races 7 ½ furlongs)

 

Nov. 28 

$200,000 Aventura, 2-year-olds

$200,000 Hallandale Beach, 2-year-old fillies

(both races at a mile, dirt)

 

Dec. 12

$125,000 Tropical Park Derby, 3-year-olds

$125,000 Tropical Park Oaks, 3-year-old fillies

(both races 1 1/16 miles, turf)

 

Dec. 26: Pegasus Preview Day

$200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G3), 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/8 miles, turf

$150,000 Harlan’s Holiday (G3), 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles, dirt 

$150,000 Suwannee River, 3-year-olds and up, F&M, one mile, turf 

$150,000 Mucho Macho Man, 2-year-olds, one mile, dirt

 

Dec. 27 

$150,000 Ginger Brew, 2-year-old fillies, one mile, turf 

 

Jan. 1

$125,000 Rampart, 4-year-olds and up, F&M, one mile, dirt 

$125,000 Abundantia, 4-year-olds and up, F&M, five furlongs, turf 

 

Jan. 2 

$150,000 Mr. Prospector (G3), 4-year-olds and up, seven furlongs, dirt

 

Jan. 23: Holy Bull Day

$250,000 Holy Bull (G3), 3-year-olds, 1 1/16-mile, dirt 

$150,000 Forward Gal (G3), 3-year-old fillies, seven furlongs, dirt 

$150,000 Kitten’s Joy, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16-mile, turf 

$150,000 Sweetest Chant, 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16-mile, turf

$150,000 Swale, 3-year-olds, seven furlongs, dirt 

 

Jan. 30: Pegasus World Cup Day 

Ten stakes including:

Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/8miles, dirt

Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/8 miles, turf

Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Invitational (G2), 4-year-olds and up, F&M, 1 1/16 miles turf

$200,000 Inside Information (G2), 4-year-olds and up, F&M, seven furlongs, dirt

$200,000 W.L. McKnight (G3), 4-year-olds and up, 1 ½ miles, turf

$150,000 Christophe Clement 4-year-olds and up, F&M, 1 ½ miles, turf

$150,000 Fred Hooper (G3), 4-year-olds and up, one mile, dirt

 

Feb. 13

$150,000 Royal Delta (G3), 4-year-olds and up, F&M, 1 1/16 miles, dirt

 

 Feb. 27: Fountain of Youth Day

 Nine stakes races including: 

$400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2), 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles, dirt

$200,000 Davona Dale (G2), 3-year-old fillies, one mile, dirt

$200,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), 4-year-olds and up, one mile, dirt

$200,000 Mac Diarmida (G2), 4-year-olds and up, 1 3/8 miles, turf

$150,000 Canadian Turf (G3), 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/16 miles, turf

$150,000 Honey Fox (G3), 4-year-olds and up, F&M, one mile, turf

$150,000 The Very One (G3), 4-year-olds and up, F&M, 1 3/8 miles, turf

$175,000 Herecomesthebride (G3), 3-year-old fillies, one mile, turf 

 

March 6

$150,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3), 4-year-olds and up, F&M, 6 ½ furlongs, dirt

 

March 20

$100,000 Texas Glitter, 3-year-olds, five furlongs, turf

$100,000 Melody of Colors, 3-year-old fillies, five furlongs, turf

 

March 27: Florida Derby Day 

Ten stakes races including:

$1 million Florida Derby (G1), 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles, dirt

$250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles, dirt

$150,000 Pan American (G3), 4-year-olds and up, 1 ½ mile, turf

$150,000 Orchid (G3), 4-year-olds and up, F&M, 1 ½ mile, turf

$150,000 Ghostzapper (G3), 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/16-mile, dirt

$150,000 Appleton, 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/16-mile, turf

$150,000 Sand Springs, 4-year-olds and up, F&M, 1 1/16-mile, turf

$150,000 Sanibel Island, 3-year-old fillies, 7 ½ furlongs, turf

$150,000 Cutler Bay, 3-year-olds, 7 ½ furlongs, turf

 

Return to the October 9 issue of Wire to Wire