The anticipation for Pegasus World Cup Day 2025 is already building, and Saturday at Woodbine promises to provide a thrilling curtain-raiser. The $200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) offers more than just prize money—it carries a coveted golden ticket: a fees-paid berth into the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2) at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24.
It’s a race that blends excitement with opportunity, showcasing some of the finest fillies and mares from Canada and beyond. The spotlight will shine on Roger Attfield-trained Ready for Shirl, a granddaughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Lady Shirl. Her sparkling victory in the Canadian (G2) two starts back has made her the 9-5 morning-line favorite among a competitive field of nine.
Chasing her will be Caitlinhergrtness, trained by Kevin Attard. Attard, who guided Moira to victory in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and a runner-up finish in the 2023 Dance Smartly, has high hopes for his multiple graded-stakes winner, installed at 2-1 on the morning line.
Both the Dance Smartly and the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf will test 3-year-olds and older at 1 1/16 miles on turf, promising tactical battles and late surges. The Filly & Mare Turf itself has quickly become a launching pad for champions. Regal Glory, the 2022 winner, went on to claim Eclipse Award honors, while this year’s champion, Be Your Best, captured the Gamely (G1) at Santa Anita and is targeting the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
Saturday’s action at Woodbine is more than a single race—it’s the first tangible step on the road to the Pegasus World Cup, part of Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet, which kicks off on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, following the Sunshine Meet. Racing fans can expect high stakes, top-class turf performers, and a hint of history in the making as the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf chase begins.
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