Betting Saturday's Pegasus Gold Cup at Gulfstream Park

 One of the biggest horse races of the year takes place this Saturday in terms of total prize money. The field is set for the $3 million Pegasus Gold Cup on the live card at Gulfstream Park. In what should be a head-to-head battle between two champion Thoroughbreds, I have dug deep into the entire nine-horse field to come up with three contenders that should finish in the money.

My preview and picks for all of Saturday's biggest stakes races was originally posted on the popular sports betting website ScoresandStats.com. It has been reprinted below via permission of this site.

Top Betting Picks for Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park

Saturday’s jam-packed betting board for horse racing features two major graded stakes races on the 2022 Kentucky Derby Trail starting with the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Dash Attack appears to be the colt to beat in the field of 12.

Moving to Santa Anita Park, a field of nine is listed as probable for the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes. Franklin One Star appears to be the top choice with the highest Horse Racing Nation rating in that projected field. However, my “best bet” in the San Vicente would be Forbidden Kingdom if trainer Richard Mandella decides to run the son of American Pharoah in Saturday’s race.

Saturday’s main event for horse bettors is set for Gulfstream Park with the running of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational. This Grade 1 race covers 1 1/8-miles on the dirt and it is open to Thoroughbreds four and older. A field of nine contenders are listed as entered.

Complementing that Grade 1 event on Saturday’s live card at Gulfstream is the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational. This major graded stakes race has a total prize purse of $1 million. With the field set at 12 for this 1 1/8-mile run on the turf, I am stretching the odds with the No. 5 horse. Hit the Road opened at  8-to-1 odds on the morning line as a solid value pick.

Getting back to Saturday’s main event, the following are my top three horses to finish in the money in the 2022 Pegasus Gold Cup Invitational.

Saturday, Jan. 29- Gulfstream Park

Pegasus Gold Cup Invitational

Win: Life Is Good

This four-year old colt has been opened as a 7-5 second-favorite to win on the morning line. Trained by Todd Pletcher, he has been idle since winning the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November. Sired by Into Mischief, he will break from the No. 4 post on Saturday with Irad Ortiz Jr. as his jockey.

Over the course of his three-year racing career, Life Is Good has never finished out of the money. In limited events, he has posted five victories and one second-place finish. While a mile is his preferred distance, this colt should stay neck and neck with the favorite right across the finish line.

Place: Knicks Go

Breaking from the inside No. 1 post, Knicks Go has been opened as the 6-5 favorite to win this year’s Pegasus Gold Cup. The last time he was on the track, the son of Paynter bested the field in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Trained by Brad Cox, he will have jockey Joel Rosario back on board.

I am looking for a one-two finish from the top two contenders in this field in what should be a thrilling head-to-head showdown. This six-year old Maryland-bred horse has the edge in experience with a long list of impressive victories in horse racing’s biggest events. However, I have him running just a few steps behind my top choice in this race.

Show: Sir Winston

In a very deep field, I like the No. 6 horse to round out my top three picks. Trained by Mark Casse and sired by Awesome Again, this six-year old is another veteran that has a knack for finishing in the money. This will be his first race this season after closing out 2021 by winning the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes at Woodbine on Dec. 5.

Sir Winston has been opened at 12-1 odds for Saturday’s race to add some extra value to my trifecta play.