2020 Pegasus World Cup Betting Odds

Maximum Security and Omaha Beach are the co-favorites in early wagering for the 2020 Pegasus World Cup (G1). (Photo credit: Gulfstream Park).

After a win in last Saturday’s Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct, Maximum Security has been lowered to 5-2 in early 2020 Pegasus World Cup (G1) betting odds.

The Jason Servis trainee, who won six of eight starts in 2019 is the early co-favorite for the Pegasus World Cup in early wagering at USRacing at 5-2 along with Omaha Beach.

The Pegasus World Cup, with a purse of $9 million will be contested at Gulfstream Park on Saturday Jan. 25. This will be the fourth year of the Pegasus, which was won by Arrogate in 2017, Gun Runner in 2018 and City of Light last year.

Maximum Security has had an eventful three-year-old campaign. The colt crossed the wire first in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs but was disqualified for interference in deep stretch and placed 17^th.

He skipped the final two jewels of the Triple Crown and then lost his return race in the ungraded Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park where he ran second as the heavy favorite. He returned to win the Haskell Invitational (G1) in his next start.

He was being pointed toward the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) but a case of colic derailed those plans.

The colt returned by winning the Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) at Belmont Park on Oct. 26 and then won the Cigar Mile Handicap with a career top speed figure in his most recent outing, his third Grade 1 win of the year.

Cigar Mile Replay

His owner is campaigning the colt for the Eclipse Award for top three-year-old and said the Pegasus is the next logical race.

“If the horse comes out of this race fine, then the Pegasus will be his next stop,” West said. “My personal opinion is he ought to be the 3-Year-Old Eclipse Award winner. I don’t think anyone has the credentials that he has demonstrated throughout the entire year. He’s had setbacks with colic and fought through some things, but that was a pretty impressive race we saw there.”

Swansong for Omaha Beach

For Omaha Beach, the Pegasus World Cup appears likely to be the final start of his career according to his owner Rick Porter.

The colt won the Rebel (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1) and was the morning line favorite for the Kentucky Derby but was scratched out of the race due to an entrapped epiglottis and missed the Triple Crown.

He returned off a six-month break by winning the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) and then ran second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

The Bob Baffert trained McKinzie is the third choice in early Pegasus World Cup wagering at USRacing at 11-4. The colt landed in the exacta in all seven starts in 2019 but won just twice—the Alysheba (G2) at Churchill Downs in May and the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga in August.

The colt was second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita in his last outing.

2020 Pegasus World Cup Betting Odds via USRacing: