Gulfstream Park’s prestigious Championship Meet, which the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T) Jan. 27 and Florida Derby (G1) March 30, will offer 68 stakes in 2023-2024 with total purses of $14.875 million.
The Championship Meet that will include over a new turf course begins Dec. 1 and concludes March 31.
The Pegasus World Cup Day program will feature eight stakes, seven of which are graded. The $3 million Pegasus World Cup, a 1 1/8-mile invitational for 4-year-olds and up, is the year’s first major target of the new racing season for the classic division. The $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf, a 1 1/8-mile invitational that will be contested by 4-year-olds and up, will be renewed over Gulfstream Park’s newly installed turf course. The $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/16-mile invitational for fillies and mares 4-years old and up, will also be contested Jan. 27 on the turf course that is scheduled to host 38 stakes during the Championship meet.
The three Pegasus Day invitational races will be supported by the $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (G2), a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares; the $200,000 William L. McKnight Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes for older horses; the $150,000 Fred Hooper Stakes (G3), a mile stakes for older horses; the $150,000 La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/2-mile event for older fillies and mares on turf; and the $100,000 Carousel Club Stakes, a mile-and-70-yard overnight handicap on Tapeta for older horses.
The $1 million Florida Derby, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, is a premier Triple Crown prep with 25 winners going on to victory in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and will headline the March 30 program offering 10 stakes, of which five are graded. The $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies, will also be featured on the Florida Derby undercard that will include the $200,000 Pan American Stakes (G2T), a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes for older horses; and the $150,000 Orchid Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares.
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The $150,000 Ghostzapper Stakes (G3), a 1 1/16-mile race for older horses, will round out the graded-stakes action on the Florida Derby program, which will be supported by the $150,000 Appleton Stakes, a mile turf event for older horses; $150,000 Sand Springs Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for older fillies and mares; the $125,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses; the $125,000 Cutler Bay Stakes, a 7 1/2-furlong turf stakes for 3-year-olds; and the $125,000 Sanibel Island Stakes, a 7 1/2-furlong race on turf for 3-year-old fillies.
The $150,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes, a mile stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds, will kick off the Road to the 73rd running of the Florida Derby on the New Year’s Day program Jan. 1, followed by the $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 3 and the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) March 2.
The Holy Bull, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, will headline the Feb. 1 program that will also offer the $150,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds; the $150,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for sophomore fillies; the $125,000 Claiborne Swale Stakes (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds; and the $125,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.
The Fountain of Youth, the 1 1/16-mile key prep for the Florida Derby, will top a blockbuster program that will feature nine stakes, eight of which are graded, including the $200,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2), a mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies that serves as the major prep for the Gulfstream Park Oaks. The $200,000 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2), an historic mile event for older horses, and the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T), a 1 3/8-mile turf stakes for older horses, will round out the grade 2-stakes action on the program.
The Fountain of Youth Day undercard will also offer the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T), a 1 1/16-mile grass stakes for older horses; the $150,000 Honey Fox Stakes (G3T), a mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares; the $150,000 The Very One Stakes (G3T), a 1 3/8-mile turf race for older fillies and mares; the $175,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T), a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies; and the $175,000 Colonel Liam Stakes, a mile turf race for 3-year-olds.
The $200,000 Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2), the $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes (G3T) and the $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes (G3T) will be renewed on the Dec. 30 program, on which many entrants will be auditioning for invitations to the Pegasus World Cup, Pegasus World Cup Turf, and Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf, respectively.
The 2023-2024 Championship Meet stakes schedule will be kicked off Dec. 2 by the finals of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by nominated Florida stallions—the $300,000 In Reality and the $300,000 My Dear Girl for fillies, both at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
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