The fourth time was the charm for veteran 7-year-old Skippylongstocking, who rallied to win the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes on Jan. 24 while making his fourth straight start in the Grade 1 event at Gulfstream Park.

Skippylongstocking raced 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track for trainer by Saffie Joseph Jr. under jockey Tyler Gaffalione in 1.48.49 and paid $45.20 for a $2 win wager. Skippylongstocking's Saffie Joseph-trained stablemate White Abarrio finished 1 3/4 lengths behind in second. Full Serrano was third. 

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Skippylongstocking finally registered his first Grade 1 win after previously starting 35 times and earning $3.7 million. He also emerged from the shadow of the other 7-year-old in Joseph's barn, White Abarrio, who won last year's Pegasus World Cup after also winning high-profile races like the Breeders' Cup Classic, Whitney Stakes, and Florida Derby earlier in his career. The odds said it all about the pecking order with White Abarrio 3-1 on the tote board and Skippylongstocking at 21-1.

"He deserved it," Joseph said about Skippylongstocking. "Skippy has run fast enough to win a Grade 1 but he never had, and people are going to knock you if you don't have a Grade 1 win. Now he has one."

Joseph said a trip to the $12 million Dubai World Cup could next be in play for Skippylongstocking, and, with the Pegasus designated as a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event for the first time, he also earned a free spot in this fall's $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Yet for all of the drama wrapped into Skippylongstocking's win, what overwhelmed Joseph with emotion was the performance of White Abarrio.

"In the stretch, I was rooting for White Abarrio to win," Joseph said. "I feel bad saying it, but I am telling you the truth."

Gulfstream is typically kind to early speed around two turns but Skippylongstocking rallied from ninth in the field of 12.

Disco Time, the 3-2 favorite in the 10th edition of the Pegasus, set the early fractions of :22.25, :46.08, and 1:09.87, but midway on the final turn White Abarrio and Irad Ortiz Jr. forged to the front and started to draw away. He led by 1 1/2 lengths in the stretch with his stablemate mounting the only serious charge. Gaffalione got Skippylongstocking to the front leaving the sixteenth pole and finished the 1 1/8 miles first in 1:48.49.

"Everything went to plan," Gaffalione said.

Full Serrano finished 5 1/2 lengths behind White Abarrio back in third. Disco Time wound up eighth, suffering his first loss in six career starts.

Skippylongstocking's career earnings are now earned $5,461,250.

A Pegasus Day record $48,558,149 was wagered on Gulfstream's 13-race card, a big jump from last year's $41,700,225.

Test Score Gets High Marks for Pegasus Turf Victory

Test Score outran stablemate One Stripe to give trainer Graham Motion a 1-2 finish in the $1 million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park. Test Score, who finished his sophomore season near the head of the class in the 3-year-old grass division, aced his first 4-year-old debut in the Pegasus Turf.

A three-time graded stakes winner last year as a 3-year-old, Test Score rebounded from a close third-place finish in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in his final start of 2025 when traffic problems hampered his finish, and he settled for third. He had no such challenges Saturday in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf, sitting a sweet trip in fourth for much of the race while saving ground around both turns as Cabo Spirit carved out the pace while clear on the lead through fractions of :23.71, :47.23, and 1:10.58.

Angled out by jockey Manny Franco entering the stretch, Test Score out-finished his rivals after taking over from Cabo Spirit in mid-stretch. Striking the front, Test Score had enough to repel One Stripe, who formerly was a champion miler in South Africa. He prevailed by a neck in 1:47.04 for the distance on firm turf.

"I mean, both horses ran super," Motion said. "Manny gave Test Score the perfect trip today."

Almendares, a Southern California shipper for trainer Phil D'Amato, ran third, a length behind the runner-up. Astronomer ran fourth. Favored Program Trading, who shot through a huge gap on the rail into the stretch, had no excuse and finished fifth.

Test Score earned his largest payday Saturday in collecting a $516,000 winner's share of the purse. That advances his career earnings to $2,000,525, accomplished with a 5-3-3 record in 13 starts. He paid $17.20 to win.

Motion said Test Score would receive a well-earned break after a long campaign throughout much of his 3-year-old season leading into the Pegasus. He also expressed excitement for what may be seen from One Stripe this year. -- Byron King

Destino d'Oro Upsets Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf

Destino d'Oro improved her Gulfstream Park record to 2-for-2 with a come-from-behind upset victory in the $490,500 Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes presented by TAA on Jan. 24.

Destino d'Oro. (Coglianese Photos/Gulfstream Park)

"She likes it down here," trainer Brad Cox said. "She got a good setup and a good ride today. It worked out well."

In her first start against older fillies and mares Saturday, Destino d'Oro was shuffled back to 11th out of the gate, and later gradually inched into contention under jockey Junior Alvarado. Turning for home ninth in a field of 12, Alvarado tipped to the outside and stormed forward with a rush, besting the late rallies of Crevalle d'Oro and Movin' On Up to win by a half-length in 1:40.33. She paid $33.20 to win.

"I couldn't believe how much horse I had underneath me," Alvarado said. "She came with a helluva run at the end."

Her second graded score was the fifth lifetime win in eight starts for Destino d'Oro, who increased her career earnings to $829,884. -- Sean Collins