Pegasus World Cup Betting

For a short time, the Pegasus World Cup was the richest horse race in the world, with a purse of over $12,000,000. Today, around $3,000,000 is shared among the runners, so even though it’s not as wealthy as it once was, there’s still a lot at stake.  

This invitational race, held annually in January, is run by thoroughbreds at least four years old. No runner has ever won the Pegasus World Cup more than once, and we’ve seen winners from a host of world-renowned stables.  

With so much on the line and a hugely talented field likely to run again this year, discover your Pegasus World Cup betting options at Parimatch Sportsbook, and learn a bit more about this iconic Floridian festival of racing.  

The Pegasus World Cup is an invitational horse race, with runners chosen by a committee. Outside of the Triple Crown (the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes), it’s one of the most prestigious horse races in the United States.  

While the World Cup is the main event on the day, there are usually up to thirteen races, including at least three Grade 1 events, for attendees to enjoy.  

The race was first run in 2017 and has produced different winners every year. It takes its name from the immortal winged horse of Greek mythology of the same name.  

As US horse races go, the Pegasus World Cup is a relatively new event, inaugurated in 2017. Arrogate, under Mike E. Smith for Bob Baffert’s stable, won the first Pegasus World Cup in a time of 1:46.83, which stands as the race record to this day.  

Baffert is the most decorated trainer in the race’s short history, winning three times: with Arrogate in 2017, with Mucho Gusto in 2020, and with National Treasure in 2024. He’s the only person to have trained more than one winner since the race’s inception.  

As for jockeys, Puerto Rico’s Irad Ortiz Jr., who has a host of American Classics and Breeders’ Cup wins under his belt, has won the Pegasus three times: on Mucho Gusto in 2020, on Life Is Good in 2022, and on White Abarrio in 2025.   

In 2017 and 2018, the Pegasus World Cup was the wealthiest horse race in the world, with purses of $12,000,000 and $16,000,000, respectively. This meant it offered more prize money than the Dubai World Cup, which typically sits at around $12,000,000.  

The table below shows the winners of the Pegasus World Cup since the race’s inception:  

The Pegasus World Cup is run annually in January in Florida. It takes place at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, and is run on the venue’s left-handed dirt track over a distance of nine furlongs (1 1/8 miles).  

Although the date changes, it’s often held on the last Saturday of January. It attracts bumper crowds of up to 16,500 viewers in the newly renovated grandstand, along with plenty of additional space for standing spectators.  

With the field typically confirmed a week or so before the Pegasus World Cup, we can only speculate about who will likely go well at this stage.  

We expect White Abarrio to be invited back to defend his 2025 crown, following his dominant win by six and a quarter lengths last year. He has also won the Florida Derby and the Breeders’ Cup Classic, so he could well become the first horse to win the Pegasus World Cup more than once.  

Todd Pletcher’s Captain Cook is also being mentioned in several quarters as a potential Pegasus World Cup winner, with impressive finishes in several Grade 1 races over the last year or so.  

Brad Cox’s Tappan Street is another likely runner in the 2026 Pegasus World Cup, given his exceptional display in the 2025 Florida Derby.   

You can view the confirmed runners and their odds at the top of this page.  

To bet on horse racing at Parimatch, you must be 18+. Create your account by clicking “Sign Up,” follow the prompts, and visit our offers page to check for the latest promotions before making your first deposit.  

When the field is confirmed for this year’s Pegasus World Cup, check the latest odds and decide which horses to back ahead of the race in Florida.  

If you don’t want to back a horse to win, you can bet on them each way, meaning you’ll receive a payout if they finish in the top places.  

If you’re planning an exotic horse racing bet, use our handy bet calculator to determine how much you can potentially make if your selections do well.  

Parimatch is the ideal platform for horse racing betting in the United Kingdom. We cover all major US horse races, as well as British festivals like Cheltenham, the Grand National, and Royal Ascot.  

No matter the horse race that you bet on, we encourage you to gamble responsibly. This involves setting and sticking to your limits and adjusting your stake to bet within your means.  

To use helpful tools and to access free resources for responsible betting, please visit our Safer Gambling Portal.