HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gulfstream Park was closed to the public for months because of the pandemic, making Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup horse race all the more exciting.
The $3 million race will be run with spectators allowed to attend at a 15% capacity. That means just under 2,000 — compared to the 10,000 that typically come for the track’s richest event.
The track had been closed to the public since March 2020 until last month (though races were still happening).
“Everything is very much set out to be socially distant,” said Jimmy Vargas, the executive VP for entertainment. “We’ve had to bring in at least 40 code-compliant ambassadors, we call them, just to monitor that everybody has their mask on. Make sure that everybody is staying socially distanced. The most important thing is obviously not only the safety of our fans but the safety of our animals.”
The Pegasus World Cup started back in 2017 and at one point it was the richest race in the world with a $16 million purse.
“I’m very excited about having some fans tomorrow,” jockey Edgar Zayas said. “It changes the whole vibe of the race and brings a lot of emotion.”
Zayas will be riding non both of the big races Saturday — the $1 million turf race and the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational.
The winner of that main event is automatically entered into the Saudi Cup, which has a $20 million purse.
For more information on tickets and event details, visit pegasusworldcup.com.