Art Collector won the $3 million Pegasus World Cup presented by Baccarat

Art Collector is the Winnner of 2023 Pegasus World Cup presented by Baccarat.

2023 Pegasus World Cup, the American Thoroughbred horse race presented by Baccarat, took place in front of 10,000 fans on January 28 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.  

The Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race whose first running was on January 28, 2017 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. It is run over the dirt at the distance of 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) and is open to horses four years old and up.

Art Collector, owned by Bruce Lunsford, ridden by Junior Alvarado and trained by Bill Mott, won the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (GI) presented by Baccarat. Bruce Lunsford connections were presented with the Baccarat Pegasus Championship Trophy by Belinda Stronach, Chairwoman, Chief Executive Officer and President, 1/ST and Miriam Vales, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Baccarat – presenting sponsor and Official Trophy Purveyor of this year’s event.

Atone, owned by Three Diamonds Farm, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and trained by Mike Maker, won the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (GI) presented by Qatar Racing.

Queen Goddess, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Aron Wellman) and Gary Barber, trained by Michael W. McCarthy ridden by Luis Saez, won the $500,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GIII) presented by Pepsi. The winning owners, trainers and jockeys from the three championship races were presented with Pegasus World Cup Championship Rings, designed by local Miami jeweler BooDaddy Diamonds. Pommery provided champagne for the winners’ toast.

The 2023 Pegasus World Cup presented by Baccarat hit a record-setting handle with $43.9 million wagered on the 13-race program, surpassing the previous 2022 record-setting handle.

Celebrities and notable attendees included Joe Jonas (International Pop Icon, Song-Writer & Actor) who gave the “Riders Up” command, OneRepublic (Band), Kygo (DJ and Producer), Maluma (Artist), Venus Williams (Athlete), Ella Balinksa (Actor), Guerdy Abraira (Reality Star), Kiki Barth (Reality Star), Amanda Kloots (Actor), Alix Earle (Influencer), Chantel Jeffries (DJ), Camila Coelho (Influencer), Kevin Liles (Producer), Xandra Pohl (DJ), Griffin Johnson (Tiktoker), Sam Eguavoen (Athlete), Kelly Parker (Athlete), Eugenie Bouchard (Athlete), Justin Jesso (Singer), Reilly Opelka (Athlete), Nick Fortes (Athlete), River Viiperi (Model), Hannah Selleck (Equestrian), David Grutman, Isabela Grutman (Model), Frank Walker (Artist, Music Producer & DJ), Nicole Walker (Vice President, The Stronach Group & Champion Equestrian), and Brian Poli-Dixon (Artist & Former NFL Player), among others.

1/ST tapped Groot Hospitality’s LIV for a trackside takeover of Gulfstream Park’s Carousel Club. LIV with Palm Tree Crew curated a uniquely Miami experience featuring top-tier entertainment, celebrities, VP hIospitality, programming and performances by OneRepublic and Kygo, as well as a surprise performance by Joe Jonas who performed “Dancing Feet” and the DNCE hit “Cake By The Ocean” while sharing bags of Rob’s Backstage Popcorn with the crowd.

In the Flamingo Room and Private Luxury Suites, guests delighted in cuisine by Groot Hospitality’s newest hotspots Gekkō and The Key Club, alongside signature offerings from Komodo, Papi Steak and Swan. Guests enjoyed a live performance by Brian Newman, the iconic jazz vocalist and trumpeter who is currently the bandleader and arranger for Lady Gaga’s Jazz & Piano Las Vegas residency show, who also performed the ceremonial “Call To Post” live on NBC. Dr. Barbara Sturm hosted a pop-up Glow Suite in the Flamingo Room for VIP attendees.

Sardelli Italian Steakhouse served guests in the Ten Palm’s VIP Lounge, who also enjoyed an experience in the pop-up Davidoff Cigar Lounge.

Presenting sponsor Baccarat – French luxury brand and purveyor of handmade crystal – returned as the Official Trophy Partner.

Championship trophies were presented to the winners of both the 2023 Pegasus World Cup and the Pegasus World Cup Turf. The trophies are handcrafted, rearing Pegase Horses – French for ‘Pegasus’ – in clear and black crystal, standing over twenty inches tall. In true alignment with Pegasus, these Baccarat trophies are the ultimate symbols of power, joy, light and energy. Inspired by Greek mythology and embodying the expertise of Baccarat, the Pegases’ movement and exceptional size are masterfully captured, and originate from a single block of crystal. Cut by a master craftsman for over 90 hours, these sculptures, created by Allison Hawkes in collaboration with Baccarat, are also incredible feats of design and precision. Struck by light, these works of art reveal the muscles of the prancing Thoroughbreds. The Black Crystal Pegase, valued at $45,500, was presented to the winner of the Pegasus World Cup. The Clear Crystal Pegase, valued at $39,000, was presented to the winner of the Pegasus World Cup Turf.

Race day fashion featured looks by Pegasus World Cup Off To The Races Fashion Show partners Neiman Marcus at Bal Harbour Shops and Shapoh.com.

Broward County Mayor Micheal Udine declared January 28, 2023, Pegasus World Cup Day and presented the proclamation to 1/ST RACING & GAMING Chief Executive Officer, Aidan Butler.

This year, 1/ST executives and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance committee and board members, Nicole Walker, Vice President, The Stronach Group and Aidan Butler, Chief Executive Officer, 1/ST RACING & GAMING, presented the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) with a check for $50,000 immediately following the running of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Filly & Mare Turf.