Race 12 at Gulfstream Park | Saturday, January 24 | Post Time 4:54 PM Eastern

Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational – Grade 1 | Purse $1 Million | One Mile and One-Eighth | Four Year Olds and Upward

Top win contenders are Call Sign Seven (6), Program Trading (2), Cabo Spirit (8)

Other contenders are One Stripe (4), Fort Washington (12)

Analysis and Contenders:

Call Sign Seven (6) just won the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap in November 2025 at 68 to one odds, his first stakes win. His only other stakes resulted in a sixth place finish in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile Stakes in November 2024, which was his third career race and off a maiden win, quite a big class raise. He ran one race after the Mathis and finished seventh, then he took nearly eight months off. Coming back, he won the Seabiscuit where he started seventh and was still seventh until the eighth pole, when he surged 110 yards at the sixteenth to a head behind the winner, who then edged for winning by half a length. The Seabiscuit earned Call Sign Seven a 114 Equibase Speed Figure, which is among the last top figures in the field. Despite his powerful effort and his speed figure, Call Sign Seven opens at 15 to 1. In this, his second start off a nearly nine-month layoff, he is able to run even faster.

Program Trading (2) has won five races with three seconds in over 10 races. However, I only looked at nine because I did not consider his last race, the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile (in November), since he had no chance due to being blocked and then stumbling at the eighth mile pole, which at that point had no shot. His races in 2025 include a second, off a 16-month layoff, and another second place finish in the Grade 1 Turf Mile at Keeneland in October, where he earned a career-best 118 Equibase Speed Figure. In 2024, he won the Turf Classic Stakes in May and captured the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in December. Overall, he has three wins and a second in four races after a layoff, and now he is also off a layoff, although a shorter one, so Program Trading has a big shot to win or place second.

The rest of the field will have to beat Cabo Spirit (8) to the start. He won the Grade 3 San Gabriel Stakes on December 26, where he earned a career-best 116 figure. He also nearly won the Grade 1 Shoemaker Stakes in May, stalking in second and missing third by a nose and neck at the finish. Smith rides today and rode Cabo Spirit in the San Gabriel and won the Grade 3 American Stakes in April. He should get an easy lead and could be a tough customer to win his second straight stakes.

One Stripe (4) won his last race, a classified allowance at Gulfstream Park; he was in to get him familiar with the track. He won seven of nine races in South Africa, including the tough Group 1 Cape Guineas Stakes in December 2024. His two U.S. races were in last year’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile and the Breeders’ Cup Mile, where he finished fifth and 13th. However, his win in the recent race was a good one, and his jockey, Gavin Lerena, has more than 2,600 wins. Based on One Stripe being in good form, he can pull off an upset and be in the top three.

Fort Washington (12) won three out of six races last year. His best race was the Grade 1 Arlington Million in August, where he earned a career-best 118 figure. He also won the Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes in May, earning a 116 figure. When he is at his best, Fort Washington has a good shot to be a contender.

Bets:

Since Program Trading (2) is the favorite (at 5 to 2), I feel the other two offer value for win bets - Call Sign Seven (6), Cabo Spirit (8) at fair odds of 5 and 2 or better.

Exactas:

Call Sign Seven (6), Program Trading (2), Cabo Spirit (8) over Call Sign Seven (6), Program Trading (2), Cabo Spirit (8), One Stripe (4), Fort Washington (12)

One Stripe (4), Fort Washington (12), Call Sign Seven (6), Program Trading (2), Cabo Spirit (8) over Call Sign Seven (6), Program Trading (2), Cabo Spirit (8)

By placing both wagers, if Call Sign Seven (6), Program Trading (2), and Cabo Spirit (8) finish first and second among the three of them, we win twice.