Pegasus World Cup 2026: Date, TV info and the trainers and jockeys ready to shine in South Florida
January in Florida doesn’t just mean sunshine, beaches, and tourists in sandals — it also means the Pegasus World Cup galloping back into town.
The 2026 edition of American horse racing’s most glamorous winter party takes place once again at Gulfstream Park, putting South Florida firmly in the national spotlight.
Held every January, the Pegasus World Cup has become one of the most anticipated dates on the US racing calendar, attracting elite horses, big-name trainers, and superstar jockeys from across the country and beyond.
With palm trees, ocean breezes, and a $3 million prize on the line, it’s little wonder the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes has earned the nickname “Florida’s greatest horse race.”
Here, Florida News Blitz takes a look at everything you need to know as racing fans turn their eyes — and sunglasses — toward the Sunshine State.
When is the Pegasus World Cup?
Circle the date: Saturday, January 24, 2026.
The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes headlines the day, offering a hefty $3 million purse and an early-season chance for established stars to prove they’ve still got plenty left in the tank.
Its timing, just ahead of the North American breeding season, also means this can be a final hurrah for some horses before they trade the racetrack for a much quieter life at stud.
Trainers to watch
When it comes to the Pegasus World Cup, it usually pays to start with Bob Baffert — even if his trophy cabinet is already dangerously full.
The Hall of Fame trainer has won the Invitational three times, including the very first running in 2017, plus victories in 2020 and 2024. At 72, Baffert remains one of the most recognisable figures in global horse racing and shows no sign of slowing down.
He is a four-time Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Trainer and holds the all-time record for Preakness Stakes wins as a trainer, with eight.
Last year’s leading trainer by earnings was Brad Cox, who racked up more than $30 million in prize money in 2025. Cox has already tasted Pegasus success, as have Steve Asmussen, Bill Mott, Todd Pletcher, and Chad Brown — a who’s who of American racing royalty.
Asmussen sent out more runners than anyone else in the US last year but still finished more than $5 million behind Cox in total earnings. Brown placed third overall, while Pletcher and Mott came fifth and sixth.
Local interest will be high around Saffie Joseph Jr, the reigning Pegasus World Cup Invitational winning trainer, who finished seventh in earnings in 2025. Mark Casse, fourth on the list, is another name to keep an eye on as the field takes shape.
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Jockeys to watch
If there’s one rider who seems to have Gulfstream Park figured out, it’s Irad Ortiz Jr.
Ortiz Jr has won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational three times, more than any other jockey, and he narrowly edged Flavien Prat to top the US earnings chart in 2025.
The two riders both cleared the $40 million mark, with Ortiz Jr finishing just $1,000 ahead of Prat — a margin so slim it probably took longer to calculate than to ride a furlong.
Ortiz Jr’s brother, Jose Ortiz, finished almost $7 million behind the top two, despite matching Irad’s 22 percent win rate. Jose is still searching for his first Pegasus World Cup Invitational victory.
Prat has already won the race once, while Junior Alvarado, the 2023 winning jockey, was the highest-ranked past Pegasus winner last year, finishing eighth overall.
Joel Rosario placed 10th in earnings, with Florent Geroux and Javier Castellano also inside the top 25. Alvarado and Rosario both struck at 15 per cent in 2025, while Geroux posted 14 per cent and Castellano 13 per cent.
How to watch the Pegasus World Cup 2026
Fans in the United States can catch all the action live on NBC, with streaming available on Peacock.
International viewers, including those in the UK, can watch on Sky Sports Racing, as Florida once again delivers fast horses, big names, and a little winter sunshine to the racing world.
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