The first race of the Pegasus Cup was on 28th January 2017, in Florida—a prestigious American thoroughbred horse race competition. Below are some essential details you should know about the tournament.
Name
The race is named after a 110-foot statue of a mythical horse found in Gulfstream Park and is commemorated by a 100-foot (30 m) tall statue of a Pegasus defeating a dragon.
In the United States, it is the second tallest statue after the Statue of Liberty and the third tallest in the US territories after the birth of the New World in Puerto Rico. It is also the world’s largest and tallest European dragon and equine statue. The Pegasus is positioned with its front hoof on the neck of the dragon, which lies well below the level of the equine.
Inauguration
Frank Stronach pitched the race’s idea at the January 2016 Thoroughbred Owners Conference. Frank proposed an annual 10 furlongs race held at either Santa Anita or Gulfstream parks in January. In May 2016, Stronach released the official race plans with the race length reduced to 9 furlongs.
Under the arrangement, 12 shareholders pay $1 million each to buy a spot under an unspecified horse at the time. However, the shareholder can lease, compete and sell his place at the gate. Also, the shareholder can refuse to participate in subsequent races.
The Pegasus Horse Racing Cup finally opened at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, on 18th January 2018.
Breed Type
There are two forms of horse racing – flat racing and jump racing. Flat racing is horse racing that does not require racehorses to jump over any set obstacles. The Pegasus Cup is designed for flat-racing thoroughbreds. Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sporting event involving thoroughbred horses.
Distance
The race is 9 furlongs long. A furlong is a distance in United States customary units and imperial units equal to one-eighth of a mile, 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 bars, or 10 chains. One of them is 201.168 meters using the universal definition of the inch as exactly 25.4 millimeters.
Surface
Thoroughbred flat racing is run on synthetic, dirt, or turf racetracks. The Pegasus Cup uses a dirt track, the most common and original flat horse racing track in the United States. In addition, dirt tracks are cheaper than synthetic routes, as they are cheaper to install and can be maintained easily.
Age Rating
Purebred breeds are not open to fillies (females under 5 years) up to 2 years and foals (male horses under 5 years). The Pegasus Cup, however, is open to horses four years and older.
Horse Entry Weight
Each of the Pegasus picks in 2023 must carry a certain amount in a race. All riders must weigh themselves before the race to ensure they and their equipment (including saddle) are the correct weight. In the Pegasus Cup, entrants must carry 124 pounds, but a three-pound is allowed for mares and fillies. Horses that race without using the pre-race medication furosemide receive a stipend of five pounds.
Pegasus Competition Purse
With a $12 million purse for its first race, the Pegasus Cup surpassed the Dubai Cup as the wealthiest horse race competition in the world. Following its inaugural race in 2017, its organizers announced that the second 2018 Pegasus Horse Race Cup would be challenged for a $16 million top prize. Also, Stronach Group contributed an extra $4 million in addition to $1 million each from the 12 starting racing positions.
The 2019 Pegasus event saw the racehorse purse reduced to $9 million, and the remaining $7 million was assigned to the Pegasus Turf horse race. However, for the 2023 Pegasus Cup, the winner may get about $1.8 million from the purse.
Conclusion
Horse racing, also known as the king’s sport, is considered a crucial cultural event. To understand the game, you need to know even the most minor details. The Pegasus Cup aims to elevate the sport to a much higher level. Luckily, the sport has managed to gain popularity in the horse racing industry and may soon realize its goal.
