Pegasus World Cup day

I returned to Gulfstream the morning of the Pegasus World Cup, eager to see workouts at the lovely setting. I enjoyed being in the Florida warmth in January, the first time I’d ever been anywhere warm in winter, and also seeing the palm trees around the track and paddock. The track and its environs are a lovely setting for photos, and the atmosphere the day of the Pegasus World Cup was a lot of fun, with an amazing live band that loaned even more of a tropical feel to the day.

Morning workouts

: Free Drop Billy

: Free Drop Billy

: Free Drop Billy

: Free Drop Billy on the rail

La Prevoyante Handicap

: Miss Nancy

: Daring Duchess

: Pegasus World Cup trophy

: Texting and Javier Castellano after the win

: Texting in the winners’ circle, with the Pegasus World Cup trophy in the background

Race 4, maiden special weight

: Rose’s Vision

: Watschen

: Florent Geroux gives Watschen a pat as they head to the track

: Life’s a Parlay and John Velazquez after the victory

: Pendrell Moon and Gary Stevens

: Life’s a Parlay

: Life’s a Parlay, 3-year-old colt by Uncle Mo

Race 5, a maiden special weight

Won by Neepawa (not pictured)

: Thy Kingdom Come

: Sir Sahib

: Sir Sahib

: Sir Sahib

: Sir Sahib

: Sargeant Drive and Tyler Gaffalione

: Hampton Point

: River Birch

: Mathematician

Ladies’ Turf Sprint Stakes

: Nik Juarez

: Pretty Perfection, Nik Juarez

: Cherry Lodge

: Sylphide

: Wealthy Shipman

: Girls Know Best, Javier Castellano

: Girls Know Best

Fred W. Hooper Stakes

: Beasley

: Beasley

: Moves Like Ali

: Moves Like Ali

: Frammento

: Frammento

: Giuseppe the Great

: Tale of Silence

: Eight Town

: Frammento

: Frammento

: First Growth

: Giuseppe the Great

: Moves Like Ali

: Moves Like Ali

: Eventual winner Tommy Macho

: Beasley

: Tommy Macho surging to the lead

: Tommy Macho prevails over Conquest Big E

W.L. McKnight Handicap

: Markitoff

: Gold Shield

: Durocher

: Oscar Nominated

: Mr. Cub

: Mr. Cub

: Infinite Wisdom

: Oscar Nominated after his victory

Hurricane Bertie Stakes

: Nonna Mela

: Apologynotaccepted

: Jordan’s Henny, on the outside, in striking distance for the win

: Jordan’s Henny draws clear

: Mike Smith

: Jordan’s Henny and Tyler Gaffalione

Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Handicap

won by Rainbow Heir

: Successful Native

: Conquest Enforcer

Pegasus World Cup

This was the race I came for, to see Gun Runner’s swan song as well, after thrilling to his Stephen Foster victory and its large margin of victory and his season-ending Breeders’ Cup Classic, as well as every race in between. I don’t often travel that far to see a particular horse race, but he was one that I wanted to do that for.

I didn’t know what the atmosphere surrounding this race would be, given its recent beginning, and of course having never been to it. The anticipation waiting for the horses to enter the paddock felt every bit as strong as that I’ve felt at any Derby I’ve been to, and the people thronging the paddock and in it increased markedly preceding the World Cup, just as it does for the Derby. While the crowd was understandably smaller than at the Kentucky Derby, it did still grow in numbers of attendees right before this race, just as at the Derby.

Gun Runner looked magnificent, calm, and collected as always. He had been going through his workouts prior to the race looking as strong as he had during his whole multi-race win streak. I was as confident as one could be that he’d close out his career with an emphatic victory, even given the vagaries surrounding racing and trying to assess ahead of time what a particular horse may do in a race.

Before, I had thought it was a little bittersweet to know this was Gun Runner’s last race and his last works–bitter because sometimes you just don’t want to see a good run end, even knowing something being finite makes it all the sweeter, ultimately; and sweet because there was one more opportunity to see Gun Runner do what he has done so well, and hopefully delight in another victory.

He entered the saddling area wearing his Breeders’ Cup Classic blanket, embroidered with his name. He didn’t walk around that area like several of the other horses, so I didn’t get another look at him until he entered the walking ring.

I was grateful to Gulfstream for creating a ticket option that limited access directly around the rail at the walking ring, so I had a chance to see Gun Runner and the other contenders up close without having to contend with finding a spot with everyone who had purchased general admission.

: Collected

: Gun Runner

: Stellar Wind

: Mike Smith

: Florent Geroux leaving the walking ring on Gun Runner

I had planned to watch the race by the grandstand, but since I had bought the ticket that allowed me rail access to the walking ring, I chose to see Gun Runner as much as possible there and then watched the race on the screen instead of fighting through crowds at the rail by the track. I did go over to be part of the celebration once he won, though and it was a thrill to celebrate his victory as it is anytime your favored horse wins, but even more fun surrounded by racing enthusiasts. I had thought I wouldn’t want to come all this way and still watch it on a screen, but since I got to see him beforehand and was still surrounded by excited people, it didn’t diminish the experience at all. There was a large group in the walking ring who celebrated wildly and I was so happy to see him win one more time and applaud the effort of a top-notch horse.

It was even better to get to see him up close and all the acclaim he received as he reached the grandstand again. It made the whole trip and being there personally worth it. It didn’t even feel bittersweet. It was just exultation and soaking in all that goes along with seeing an incredible runner win brilliantly and easily once more.