2020 Pegasus World Cup: Latest Odds Ranking After the Exit of Frontrunners

Ten more days and the 2020 Pegasus World Cup will finally kick-off at Gulfstream Park, Florida, featuring a $3 million worth of prize. This invitational horse racing event will showcase the best racers in the U.S that will all saddle in a dirt track. But this prestigious racing event is not complete without some controversies. 

During the first week of January, the Stronach Group, owner of the Pegasus World Cup, released the list of 17 official entries for the said racing event. One of the invitees was Maximum Security, initially. However, as we draw near to the Pegasus crown, Maximum Security’s team declined and decided to skip the Pegasus this year to prepare for the $20 million Saudi Cup. 

It also leads to some other strong invitees like Gift Box and Roadster to exit for the said event. The reduced purse prize was cited as one of the main reasons why these invitees chose to withdraw. 

Many horse racing fans got disappointed as to why these racers won't join Pegasus. On the other hand, the Stronach Group made a way of replacing these runners and make sure that they can still stage the best version of the Pegasus World Cup this year. In fact, they assure that the betting games won't get affected. 

Because of that, Stronach has officially named the 12 participants, including three additional reserved runners as part of Pegasus Cup contenders. As such, let's get to know the latest odds and standings of some Pegasus runners that generate the highest odds value ten days before the said event. 

Omaha Beach 

Amidst the changes in the Pegasus, participants were the other strong contenders bypass to run in Gulfstream this year, Omaha Beach retained to participate in the 2020 Pegasus World Cup. Because of that, he earned the highest odds value to win the Pegasus Crown on Saturday. Omaha Beach placed second in last year's Big Ass Fans Breeder's Cup Mile and the current title holder for Malibu Stakes. 

McKinzie 

McKinzie rises on top this week after the exit of the four racers for Pegasus. By the time Stronach has released their invitees for the 2020 Pegasus, McKinzie didn't event generate a lot of odds from the bettors. However, as the Pegasus championship comes very near, he joined Omaha Beach on the top list for a possible winner this year. 

Higher Power 

Higher Power takes the third spot for a horse racer that generates the highest odds value to bet for the 2020 Pegasus. The same with McKinzie, he was not popular among horse racing fans by the time he was drafted to be part of the invitees. However, after he placed in the Awesome Again Stakes and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, he now carries a convincing value to wager. 

Tacitus

Tacitus came out of nowhere as he was not even initially invited to run for Pegasus. However, as the Pegasus organization changed the list of its participants, this second-placer for the Runhappy Travers Stakes and a third-placer for the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes takes the fourth spot in the odds for the Pegasus crown next week. 

Gunnevera 

Gunnevera is also a surprise entry for the 2020 Pegasus World Cup that came out this week. Stronach Group invited this horse racer following the exit of other horse racers. As he joined the list of the official runners for the Pegasus crown on Saturday, he also generated a good value to bet after he finished third-place in the Dubai World Cup. 

Spun To Run 

Spun to Run, like Omaha Beach, has stayed in Gulfstream Park to run for the 2020 Pegasus World Cup. He is one of the early favorites to take home the Pegasus Crown this year. Do know that he's a current title holder for Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and a second-placer for Cigar Mile Handicap. 

Master Fencer

Taking the last spot for the strongest horse racers that generated one of the highest odds value to bet for the 2020 Pegasus is Master Fencer. He leveraged his ranking from being one of the reserved runners to an official one. Master Fencer is the current champion for the Inuyama Tokubetsu held last November 30, 2019. 

Takeaway

The 2020 Pegasus World Cup is one of the most anticipated horse racing events in the United States. It is because the horse racers can showcase a great racing show at the same time bettors have the chance to win big since it offers a huge amount of prizes. Therefore, if you like to wager for the upcoming Pegasus World Cup, you may check out the latest odds listed above to keep track of your possible bets.

Native River Should Not Be Forgotten About This Season

The 3m chase division this season is as open as it has been for a long time with a number of talented younger challengers set to take on the established runners in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

One horse which should not be forgotten about though when it comes to the Blue Riband event of the Festival is Native River, who was successful in the 3m2f contest in 2018. 

Native River returned to action last month in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree where he scored impressively by 33 lengths. He made the running in that race, and once Might Bite unseated his jockey at the fourth obstacle, he was always going to take some catching.

Surprisingly, Colin Tizzard’s runner did not feature in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. That said, Kempton is not a track which is suited to the horse. The 3m race, which is the highlight of the festive period, is preferred by speedier runners as it proved when Clan Des Obeaux won the contest for the second straight year. 

Native River is likely to be seen next in the Denman Chase at Newbury in February. He won that race in 2018 before his Cheltenham success. He only ran twice that season, and a light campaign looks to be on the cards once again.

Gold Cup Defence Was Respectable

Native River went into the Gold Cup last year looking to become the first horse to defend their crown since Best Mate managed that feat in 2004. Unlike 12 months earlier, where he was setting the tempo along with Might Bite, Tizzard’s runner was at the back end of the field in the opening half of the race.

The nine-year-old did hit the front at the 12th fence where his chances of success improved significantly. Unfortunately for his connections though, he was outpaced in the run-in and had to settle for fourth place in the race which was won by Al Boum Photo.

Third Appearance In The Gold Cup Likely In March 

Another shot at the most prestigious contest in National Hunt racing can be expected in March. He was third in the race which was won by Sizing John in 2017; therefore, he has proved competitive in all three of his appearances so far. 

The bookmakers make him a 20/1 shot this year, which looks great value, especially if you take up one of the 2020 Cheltenham betting offers such as a risk-free bet of up to £10. This will give you a free shot on the former winner as he looks to regain his crown. 

Season Could End With Grand National Shot 

The Grand National was discussed as a possibility for Native River last season, and his connections have always seen him as a future contender for the Aintree race. They chose to give their horse a break after Cheltenham last year; however, we could see him line up on Merseyside this April. 

Native River is 20/1 for the 2020 Grand National. He won the Welsh version of the contest in 2016, so he would surely be a strong contender for the 4m2f race later this year.

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Gas Monkey, 4 wins races in 2019 

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Gas Money: This bay gelding proved a popular and talented winner in 2019 showing his class with four wins. 

See Gas Monkey's Race Results

Julia said: ''He has been enjoying a much-deserved winter holiday after his fantastic year with four wins at some prestigious racetracks. He will come back into work in the new year and should be fit again to run by late March. Life will be tough for him in 2020 off a career-high handicap mark but he is a horse who keeps on surprising us so hopefully, there is some more improvement to come still.''

Big Bang: ''He didn't progress as much as we hoped on his first try in a handicap race but it is too early to write him off completely so we will continue to campaign him through the winter and try to get him into some sort of form.''

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Pride And Prejudice: ''She is now doing two fast canters a day and should be ready to run in January. She is on a good rating after her first three runs last summer and she has strengthened up a lot during the time since then. Her half-brother has been in top form in Ireland with three consecutive wins at Dundalk recently so fingers crossed she can do the same on our all-weather tracks this winter.''

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New Yearling (2yo) by sire Due Diligence: 

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Who are the Trainers to Follow in the Grand National?

The Grand National at Aintree is known as the world's greatest steeplechase with good reason. It is very hard for any racehorse trainer, let alone the equine athletes themselves, to win the race more than once. 

Abundant stamina and an aptitude for the Merseyside track's famous spruce-covered fences are what handlers look for in potential Grand National runners. Raced over four-and-a-quarter grueling miles and 30 fences in April, this is the ultimate test for trainer, jockey, and horse. 

Who are the trainers to follow en route to the 2020 Grand National and why? All of these handlers have had previous success in their stables. 

Gordon Elliott 

County Meath handler Gordon Elliott has won the Grand National three times, first with Silver Birch in 2007 and again in the last couple of years with Aintree modern-day legend Tiger Roll. A bid for a historic hat-trick that would put that horse level with equine icon Red Rum could be on the cards this season. 

Elliott is usually mob-handed in the Grand National. With each passing year, he seems to have more and more runners but has had to defend hogging the entries. Only 40 horses can contest the race and Elliott was responsible for 11 of those in 2019. Running more than a quarter of the field proves the old adage that if you're not in it, you can't win it.

Despite sending out so many runners from across the Irish Sea, the cream rose to the top with Tiger Roll triumphing for the second time. Should he go to Aintree again, the twice-winner would certainly be pride and place among many experts' Grand National tips and predictions as Elliott could become the joint-most successful trainer in the race's storied history. 

Willie Mullins

Long-time rival Willie Mullins trained Hedgehunter to land the Aintree spoils back in 2005. Elliott's fellow Irish handler is a master of his craft and has had multiple horses placed in the Grand National since that success. 

Veterans like Pleasant Company and Rathvinden ran with real credit in defeat, but Mullins's one great hope moving forward is Irish Grand National winner Burrows Saint. He won the Fairyhouse Easter Festival's big handicap over fences and three miles, five furlongs at the tender age of six. 

Burrows Saint has to have the English equivalent in his sights as a long-term target. Whether the 2020 Grand National will come around too soon in the promising career of this particular staying chaser remains to be seen, because younger horses don't have a great record in the big one at Aintree. 

Nigel Twiston-Davies 

Dual Grand National winner Nigel Twiston-Davies saddled Earth Summit (1998) and Bindaree (2002) to victories on Merseyside from his Gloucestershire stables. He has gone close in more recent times with Blaklion.

If Twiston-Davies is to win another Grand National, then his most likely runners in 2020 are two horses who ran massive races in defeat in the Scottish equivalent at Ayr over the last couple of years. Ballyoptic was beaten by just a nose in the 2018 running of the Scottish Grand National. Although he hasn't showed much ability over the Aintree fences, he is learning each time he tries. Blue Flight, meanwhile, is of an age with Burrows Saint and ran a fine fourth in the 2019 Scottish National when giving weight to the first two home. There is definitely more to come from him.

Can Tiger Roll complete the Grand National hat-trick?

Tiger Roll wins the Randox Health Grand National!

Back-to-back Grand Nationals and a place in history pic.twitter.com/vcF6v9JEOL

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) April 6, 2019

Not since Red Rum in 1977 has a horse achieved a hat-trick of wins at the Aintree Grand National. In fact, since 1978, the race had been won by a different horse every year. That was until Tiger Roll managed back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019. The Irish thoroughbred trained by Gordon Elliott will be looking to make the history books and better the feat of legendary Red Rum next April by winning three races in a row. But can the nine-year-old make his comeback from injury at one of the biggest meetings in the racing calendar? 

Since winning the 2019 Grand National as the 4/1 favourite, Tiger Roll hasn’t raced. Last month, he had a bone chip removed from a joint and has been spending time in the yard recovering. Gigginstown racing manager Eddie O’Leary and trainer Elliott both hope that Tiger Roll will recover in time for February. O’Leary told reporters: “It will rule him out of Christmas and we hope to make the Boyne Hurdle at Navan in February. If not, it will be straight to Cheltenham." 

O’Leary had previously said the chances of Tiger Roll completing a historic hat-trick were unlikely. He said: “If Tiger Roll goes for the Grand National at Aintree, I would be mad to look at anyone else other than Davy to ride him. He rides Aintree like a master, but the chances of Tiger Roll going back to Aintree are slim and none.” 

It is not a view shared by trainer Elliott who has openly said that Tiger Roll’s number one target will be the National. He commented: “He was at full fitness and almost ready to run when it happened. It’s not ideal, but if it had happened in January or February, it would be a lot worse.” 

He continued: "Obviously Michael O'Leary owns the horse – he'll make the final decision – but in my mind, this is the race we've been training him for since last year. The Randox Health Grand National is the plan." 

Tiger Roll had a good season, winning all three races that he was entered into. Beating Off You Go by four lengths in the Boyne Hurdle in February, the gelding went on to win the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham Festival by an incredible 22 lengths, before the remarkable second success at the National. Horse racing betting odds already favour Tiger Roll at this early stage and he can be found at a price of 8/1, miles ahead of Burrows Saint, Elegant Escape and Rathvinden all at 20/1. Tiger Roll’s inaugural Grand National win was a memorable one, beating Pleasant Company by a head in a photo finish. It was particularly special for jockey Davy Russell who was competing in his 14th National but had never placed better than third. While the Irish thoroughbred wasn’t the outright favourite, he was one of the front-runners and the following year went into the Aintree race as the overwhelming favourite. Much like the 2019 race, it is believed that Tiger Roll will carry more weight ahead of April, but given his form last season, there’s no doubt he will remain the favourite in the lead-up to the race. 

As we have seen in recent years, the Grand National is unpredictable, with the favourite rarely winning. There will be pressure on horse, jockey and trainer alike to pull off a remarkable feat. If Tiger Roll competes – and wins – in the Boyne Hurdle and Cross Country Chase as he did this year, there’s no reason why he cannot go on to emulate Red Rum. O’Leary played down his chances before this year’s race and looks to be doing the same ahead of 2020.