Globetrotting Nations Pride Tops $1M Pegasus Turf (G1)

Godolphin’s globetrotting multi-millionaire homebred star Nations Pride, a Grade 1 winner in the U.S., Europe and Middle East, headlines an impressive cast of a dozen horses set to gather for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) presented by Qatar Racing Saturday, Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.

The seventh running of the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up is part of a blockbuster 13-race program featuring seven graded-stakes worth $5.26 million in purses co-headlined by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and $500,000 TAA Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G1) presented by SirDavis American Whiskey.

First race post time is 11 a.m. The Pegasus Turf will go off as Race 12, with a scheduled post time of 4:55 p.m. NBC will provide live national television coverage from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Introduced in 2019, the Pegasus Turf has been won by 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar; two-time European Group 1 heroine Warm Heart, the lone filly winner; and Colonel Liam, the only two-time winner having captured consecutive runnings in 2021 and 2022.

This year’s group features five millionaires and three Grade 1 winners led by the 6-year-old Irish-bred Nations Pride, who drew Post 7 and was installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite during Sunday’s post-position draw at Gulfstream’s Carousel Club. Champion British jockey and regular rider William Buick has the call.

Trained by Newmarket, England-based Charles Appleby, Nations Pride has raced in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Dubai, Bahrain and Canada while winning 10 of 19 lifetime starts with purse earnings of $3,445,554. He made three North American starts in 2024, including a win in the 1 ¼-mile Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs and a second in the 1 3/16-mile Manhattan (G1) at Aqueduct.

Overall, according to Equibase statistics the 44-year-old Appleby’s horses registered 14 wins from 59 North American starts (23.7 percent) last year and were third or better 42 times (71.1 percent). Other Grade 1 victories came in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Belmont Oaks Invitational and Maker’s Mark Mile.

Nations Pride has not run since finishing 10th in the Bahrain International Trophy (G2) in mid-November. He has a record of 4-2-1 from eight career races in North America, including victories in the 2023 Canadian International (G1) and 2022 Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) and Jockey Club Derby Invitational (G3).

“He’s a fantastic horse. He’s a four-time Grade 1 winner in Canada, America and Germany. He’s a very classy horse,” Appleby’s assistant trainer Chris Connett said. “Probably his two poorest runs have been in Bahrain when he’s gone for the big race out there. But if you overlook those runs, he’s ultra consistent. He ran in some nice races. He was [third], first time up to Silver Knot [in the Man o’ War G2)]. Then he went on and won the Arlington Million. He’s a high-end horse. This trip will be ideal.”