Invitations have been sent for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park, and the 1 1/8-mile stakes is shaping up to be a competitive race with plenty of intriguing contenders.

Now that we know the prospective field for the Pegasus World Cup, let’s take an early look at the contenders in tier format. For this year, the most likely winner might not come from the top tier. In fact, my top selection almost certainly will not as I plan to fade the two in that grouping.

1) The Bounce-Back Breeders’ Cup Winner Tier

Full Serrano, White Abarrio

As mentioned above, I don’t think the winner comes out of this tier but I do think you have to start the discussion with the two Breeders’ Cup winners. White Abarrio, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic victor, and 2024 Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Full Serrano both are unequivocally proven at this level. Heck, White Abarrio won the Pegasus World Cup a year ago in a 6 ¼-length runaway. Both horses, however, carry question marks coming into this race. White Abarrio was a veterinarian’s scratch before the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and then was scratched from the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes in favor of training up to the Pegasus. White Abarrio has not raced since an unplaced finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Aug. 31 at Saratoga and has only three published workouts since November. Full Serrano won only an allowance race from three starts in 2025 and enters the Pegasus off a fifth-place finish in the 2025 Dirt Mile. Both could win the Pegasus, but I’m looking elsewhere for my top selection.

2) The Young Guns Tier

Captain Cook, Chunk of Gold, Disco Time, Goal Oriented, Poster, Tappan Street

Tappan Street (Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo)

OK, I know this group is not YOUNG-young, but this talented six pack of recently turned 4-year-olds offers this race significant depth of quality. You have, in alphabetical order: 2025 Withers Stakes winner Captain Cook, 2025 West Virginia Derby winner Chunk of Gold, 2024 Remsen Stakes victor Poster, unbeaten graded stakes winner Disco Time, 2025 Malibu Stakes winner Goal Oriented, and 2025 Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa winner Tappan Street. Chunk of Gold, last year’s Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby runner-up, has the fastest top Equibase Speed Figure (114) from this tier and the fastest last-race Equibase Speed Figure (113). He’s in terrific form for trainer Ethan West. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won three of nine editions of the Pegasus, and the Baffert-trained Goal Oriented enters off a career-best 112 Equibase Speed Figure for his one-length win in the Dec. 28 Malibu Stakes. He ran third in both the NYRA Bets Haskell Invitational Stakes and Pennsylvania Derby, so he’s proved capable against elite competition. Disco Time is 5-for-5 lifetime, owns three straight wins in stakes races, and earned a new best 112 Equibase Speed Figure for a 9 ¾-length romp in the Nov. 8 Dwyer Stakes for trainer Bad Cox, who won this race in 2021 with Knicks Go. Tappan Street returned from 8 ½ months on the sidelines to win a one-mile allowance race Dec. 19 at Gulfstream Park. That was his first start since defeating Sovereignty in the Florida Derby, a race flattered when Sovereignty subsequently won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, and DraftKings Travers Stakes. That’s a lot of flattery! I think Tappan Street could be special and he should get a good pace setup with plenty of speed to track in the early going. Tappan Street, also trained by Cox, very likely will be my top selection.

3) The Seasoned Vet

Skippylongstocking

Skippylongstocking has won 12 of 35 races with nine stakes wins while earning more than $3.7 million. The 7-year-old has at least one race every year since 2021, held his own against top competition, and enters off a stakes win in December. “Skippy” would be a win threat should he match his career-best performances, but his Equibase Speed Figures have been trending down, so it’s a tall task. This will be his fourth try in the Pegasus; his best result was a third in 2025. Note: Rattle N Roll originally was listed in this tier as well, but Daily Racing Form reported he will be pointed instead to the $20 million Saudi Cup.

4) The On the Bubble Busters Tier

Bishops Bay, Touchuponastar

Judging by what I’ve read about this year’s Pegasus, Bishops Bay and Touchuponastar are under consideration for the race but not locks to be entered. If their connections opt to give it a go, they belong and could be serious players. Bishops Bay has won six of his last seven starts for trainer Brad Cox and most recently won the Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct in December after winning the one-mile Forty Niner Stakes there in November. He’s a stakes winner around two turns and has never been better, earning a career-top 114 Equibase Speed Figure in the Cigar Mile. Touchuponastar is a force of nature in his native Louisiana, where he has amassed 16 stakes wins. His lone graded stakes win came at Fair Grounds in March 2025 but his three trips outside the state all resulted in defeats. If he makes the trip to Florida, Touchuponastar would at the very least be a pace factor and his Equibase Speed Figures indicate he would be a viable win candidate if he relishes the Gulfstream Park main track.