THE Grade 1 nine-furlong Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (10.40pm) is the headline act in America tonight and it is live on VirginThree from 9pm.

It’s a high-class field of the best of the older dirt horses in the US with many having chances on their best form but also many questions to answer. It’s a case of hoping the selection runs to his best level on the night.

Todd Pletcher’s Locked is the likely favourite coming of his win at Aqueduct in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile. He was among the top two-year-olds in 2023 but missed all of last season until last month so the value of the form could be a bit questionable.

White Abarrio appears a bit short of his top form, produced in 2023, when he was a dominant winner of the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Today he comes back of a prep run when second as favourite in a Gulfstream Grade 3 and, now trained by Saffie Joseph, moving from Richard Dutrow.

Saudi Crown from the Brad Cox stable has pieces of form to put him in the mix, including a fine run when just faltering in the final furlong when third in the Group 1 Saudi Cup last season, behind Senor Buscador and Ushba Tesoro.

He won the Listed Tenacious Stakes last month in his second start back off a layoff and captured the Grade 1 2023 Pennsylvania Derby among some excellent runs.

Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan makes his second start following a layoff of more than six months. He returned four weeks ago to finish sixth in the Malibu Stakes but needs a huge step up on that run.

Saffie Joseph also runs Skippylongstocking but while he deserves a shot a this, he is now six and it would be a bit of a blow to the form if he prevailed.

Last year’s Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold could be the value at around 10/1. He has been very consistent at top level all year, and was second in the Grade 1 Malibu over a shorter distance.

SELECTION: Saudi Crown Next best: Stronghold

Rest of the card

Also on the top-class card, Charlie Appleby’s Nations Pride is the favourite for the nine-furlong turf Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (9.55pm).

The five-year-old disappointed in the Bahrain International Trophy last time, well beaten behind Spirit Dancer but has strong US Grade 1 form and William Buick travels over.

Shug McGaughey’s Integration, an Aqueduct Grade 2 winner last time out and the mount of Frankie Dettori is the likely morning line favourite, though he was second to Nations Pride in the Arlington Million.

Also on the card is the Grade 2 TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (8.45pm) where George Weaver’s Sacred Wish heads the betting in the mile and half a furlong contest. Frankie Dettori teams up with Todd Pletcher to have strong claims on the Irish-bred Raqiya, winner of the Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes last summer for Owen Burrows and a Grade 3 winner in November at Del Mar.

Be Your Best, an Irish-bred five-year-old by Muhaarar, comes off two Grade 3 wins for Saffie Joseph.

Charlie Appleby also runs favourite Bold Act in Grade 3 William L. McKnight Stakes and Beautiful Love, also the likely favourite, in the Grade 3 Prevoyante Stakes earlier on the card. The Siyouni filly was last seen finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.