The Pegasus Stakes is a Listed American

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

run annually in June at

Monmouth Park Racetrack Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

Oceanport, New Jersey Oceanport is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 5,832,furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

s) on the dirt, and currently offers a purse of $150,000. Inaugurated as a minor event on November 11, 1980 at

Meadowlands Racetrack The Meadowlands Racetrack (currently referred to as Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment) is a horse racing track at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness ...

East Rutherford, New Jersey East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the borough's population was 10,022, reflecting an increase of 1,109 (+12.4%) from the 8,913 counted in the 2010 census.

, the following year it became the Pegasus Handicap and would be run as such thru 2002. There was no race in 2003 and it returned in 2004 as the Pegasus Stakes. The race was hosted by Meadowlands 1980–2006 and 2008–2009. Its 1996 edition was raced on the

turf Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls. In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricult ...

course. A former

Grade 1 First grade (also called Grade One, called ''Year 2'' in England or Primary 2 in Scotland) is the first grade in elementary school and the first school year after kindergarten. Children are usually 6–7 years old in this grade. Examples by re ...

race, the 1997 Pegasus offered a purse of $1,000,000.

Historical race notes

Ridden by

Jorge Chavez Jorge is a Spanish and Portuguese given name. It is derived from the Greek name Γεώργιος (''Georgios'') via Latin ''Georgius''; the former is derived from (''georgos''), meaning "farmer" or "earth-worker". The Latin form ''Georgius' ...

, in 1999 Forty One Carats won the Pegasus Handicap by a nose over Unbridled Jet. The winner's time of 1:45 2/5 broke the Meadowlands track record for a mile and one-eighth on dirt. Sally Bailie became the first woman trainer in the history of American Thoroughbred racing to win a $200,000 race when she captured the 1982 edition of the Pegasus Handicap with Fast Gold.

Records

Speed record: * 1:45.40 @ miles: Forty One Carats (1999) ( NTR) * 1:40.80 @ miles Flying Chevron (1995) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

: * 5 – Joe Bravo (1998, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 –

Todd Pletcher Todd Pletcher (born June 26, 1967 in Dallas, Texas) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. He won the Eclipse Award seven times as Trainer of the Year, four of these in consecutive years. His horses Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (20 ...

(2005, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2019) Most wins by an owner: * 2 – William H. Perry (1991, 1992)

Winners

References

{{reflist Horse races in New Jersey Flat horse races for three-year-olds Previously graded stakes races in the United States Recurring sporting events established in 1980 Monmouth Park Racetrack Meadowlands Racetrack