Banishing Joins the Cast for the G1 Pegasus World Cup

Astronomer, Fort Washington Invited to G1 Pegasus Turf

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Lawrence P. Roman and trainer David Jacobson’s Banishing joins the list of invitees for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park.

A reserve invitee originally, the 6-year-old Ghostzapper gelding is a Grade 1 stakes-placed multiple graded-stakes winner with more than $1.6 million in earnings.

KAS Stables’ Bishops Bay, the winner of the Dec. 6 Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct, has been removed from list of invitees to the Jan. 24 headliner at the request of his connections. His trainer Brad Cox is still represented by two others expected to run – WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc. and Cold Press Racing’s Tappan Street, the 2025 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) winner who recently returned to action with an optional claiming allowance win at Gulfstream, and Juddmonte’s Disco Time, an undefeated 4-year-old son of Not This Time who captured his fifth consecutive victory without defeat in the Nov. 8 Dwyer at Aqueduct..

Sharaf Mohamad Alhariri and Lucky Seven Stable’s Rattle N Roll, a Kenny McPeek-trained 7-year-old with more than $3 million in earnings, and Terry L. Stephens’ Chunk of Gold, the Ethan West-trained 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) starter who fell a half-length short of victory in the Clark (G2) last time out at Churchill Downs, have also been removed from Pegasus World Cup consideration.

C2 Racing Stable LLC, Gary Barber, and La Milagrosa Stables LLC’s White Abarrio is scheduled to make a title defense in the Pegasus World Cup, which he won by 6 ½ lengths in 2025. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will also saddle Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking, a multiple graded-stakes winner who captured the Dec.20 Harlan’s Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream, for a Pegasus World Cup run.

SF Racing LLC and partners’ Goal Oriented, a 4-year-old son of Not This Time who won the Dec. 28 Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita, will make a bid to become Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s unprecedented fourth Pegasus World Cup winner. Baffert has visited the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle with Juddmonte’s Arrogate, who won the 2017 running by 4 ¾ lengths, HRH Prince Faisal bin Khaled’s Mucho Gusto, who scored by 4 ½ lengths in 2020, and SF Racing LLC and partners’ National Treasure, who held on win by a neck in 2024.

St. Elias Stable’s Captain Cook, Hronis Racing LLC’s Full Serrano, Godolphin’s Poster, and Set-Hut LLC’s Touchuponastar are also Pegasus World Cup bound.

The $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) will also be featured on the Jan. 24 program at Gulfstream. Invitees My Way Racing LLC’s El Potente and Live Oak Plantation’s Win for the Money will not run.

In their place, Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor’s Astronomer and Magic Cap Stables’ Fort Washington will enter the starting gate for the running of the 1 1/8-mile turf feature. Simon Callaghan-trained Astronomer finished his 2025 campaign with back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Seabiscuit (G2) and the San Gabriel (G3) at Santa Anita. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey saddled Fort Washington for a victory in the 2025 Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs.

McGaughey is also represented on the Pegasus World Cup Turf invitation list by West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig LLC’s Cugino, a 5-year-old graded stakes-winning on of Twirling Candy who finished second in the Dec. 20 Fort Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream.

Amerman Racing LLC’s Test Score is prominent on the list of nominations for the Pegasus World Cup Turf. Trainer Graham Motion saddled the son of Lookin’ At Lucky for a victory in the Belmont Derby (G1) at Saratoga, as well as the Twilight Derby (G2)a t Santa Anita, last season.