Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will try to add to his sparkling resume at the 2025 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, which takes place on Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Florida. The 2022 and 2023 Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey ranked No. 1 for victories in 2024 and leads the 2025 Pegasus World Cup lineup with two previous Pegasus wins under his belt. Ortiz returns to Gulfstream Park with White Abarrio, whom Ortiz raced to first-place finishes in the 2022 Cigar Mile, 2023 Whitney Stakes and 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic. White Abarrio is 8-1 in the 2025 Pegasus World Cup odds. The race has a post time of 5:40 p.m. ET. 

Todd Pletcher-trained Locked is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the 2025 Pegasus World Cup field, followed by White Abarrio (3-1) and Saudi Crown (9-2). With several accomplished horses set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you’ll want to see what SportsLine writer Gene Menez has to say before making any Pegasus World Cup picks or horse racing predictions.

A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI’s handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.

In 2015, while writing for Sports on Earth, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. Then in 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet.

In May of last year, Menez gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. Last November, he crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders’ Cup Saturday for a $5,303 score.

For Saturday, Menez has handicapped the 2025 Pegasus World Cup field, made his picks and constructed his best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.

Top 2025 Pegasus World Cup predictions

One surprise: Menez is fading Locked, even though he is the top favorite at 5-2. “I love the horse, but I hate the post,” Menez told SportsLine. “Facing a short run to the first turn, Locked is almost certain to lose ground around the first turn from this wide draw.”

Menez is using Locked only sparingly in his wagers. You can see all of Menez’s 2025 Pegasus World Cup bets here.

How to make 2025 Pegasus World Cup picks

Moreover, Menez’s top pick is a horse who is “proven at nine furlongs.” He also is high on a double-digit longshot who “figures to get a sweet mid-pack trip.” Menez is including these horses in his 2025 Pegasus World Cup bets, and so should you. He’s sharing what horses to back at SportsLine.

So what horse wins the Pegasus World Cup 2025? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? Visit SportsLine to see Menez’s picks for the Lecomte Stakes, all from the expert who gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby and crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders’ Cup Saturday for $5,303, and find out. 

2025 Pegasus World Cup odds, contenders, post positions