By Paige Mastrandrea By Paige Mastrandrea | January 27, 2022 | Culture, Feature, Events,
PEGASUS WORLD CUP RETURNS TO GULFSTREAM PARK THIS JANUARY WITH A SHOWSTOPPING LINEUP, UPPING THE ANTE FOR LUXURY RACING.
DJ Cassidy will debut his first live version of “Pass the Mic” at the 2022 Pegasus World Cup. PHOTO BY TONY CORELLA
When Belinda Stronach first brought Pegasus World Cup to Miami’s Gulfstream Park, she historically raised the bar for the ultraluxe world of thoroughbred horse racing. Creating a truly unique experience that seamlessly captures the essence of Miami, The Stronach Group’s consumer-facing brand, 1/ST EXPERIENCE, and its partners unified a love of racing, five-star hospitality and world-class entertainment under one roof. Since then, its reputation and presence have only continued to prosper, drawing in the city’s well-heeled ladies and gents, celebrities, equestrian lovers and business titans alike to take in an extravagant day at the races each January.
In the Flamingo Room, guests will find a live performance of Tryst, brought by Faena Live PHOTO: BY RON MAGILL
For its 2022 iteration, Pegasus continues to deliver on its expectations, raising the bar with enticing programming and luxurious touches. New this year will be hospitality hot spot Carousel Club, where VIP racegoers will enjoy beats from DJ Cassidy’s acclaimed “Pass the Mic” series, featuring legendary surprise guests that will join Cassidy onstage. Through his “Pass the Mic” series, which launched during the 2020 lockdowns, Cassidy virtually streamed some of his favorite hits of all time, tapping in icons from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and 2000s to join him live and sing along to their most prolific hits—including names from Earth, Wind & Fire to Boyz II Men, LL Cool J, Chaka Khan, Salt-N-Pepa, Nelly and more.
Pegasus World Cup 2021 race COURTESY OF PEGASUS WORLD CUP/GULFSTREAM PARK
The open-air trackside entertainment haven will keep the party going all day long and well into the evening, enhanced by food and beverage components reflective of the South Florida hospitality scene in partnership with Breakwater Hospitality Group. The 15,000-square-foot bungalow will serve as a chic space for Miami’s VIPs to reserve tables and take in the day surrounded by style, luxury and unique accouterments that can only be found in Miami. With prime viewing of the race tracks and awards presentations, lively entertainment and ever-flowing bottle service, what could be better?
A preview of Faena’s Tryst show. BY RON MAGILL
Proving that it does not stop there, nearby in the VIP Flamingo Room, Faena Live will bring a taste of the arts with a must-see pop-up of its intoxicatingly amorous show Tryst. Featuring a breathtaking production moved by burlesque, cirque nouveau and captivating music, viewers will be entranced by the beauty and immense talent of the incredible performance, presented by Alan Faena and Quixotic. With tantalizing seduction, a soulful soundtrack and lively charm imbued by host Ariana Savalas, Tryst promises an experience like none other, delivering culture and the arts to the stellar Gulfstream playground of all things luxe.
And finally, for the second year in a row, internationally renowned crystal manufacturer Baccarat will serve as the official trophy purveyor to create the championship trophies presented to the winners of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1). After all, would we expect anything less from North America’s richest horse race? We’ll clink our Baccarat crystal glasses to that.
Knicks Go, winner of the 2021 Pegasus World Cup PHOTO: COURTESY OF PEGASUS WORLD CUP/GULFSTREAM PARK
“Belinda Stronach’s vision to innovate and modernize the thoroughbred horse racing industry and race day experience will be on full display at the 2022 Pegasus World Cup,” says Jimmy Vargas, CEO of 1/ST EXPERIENCE. “In addition to the thrill of witnessing some of the world’s best racehorses and jockeys compete, we have teamed up with DJ Cassidy to bring his viral phenomenon ‘Pass the Mic’ to the new trackside Carousel Club, live for the first time, as well as Faena Live’s immersive cabaret Tryst to the Flamingo Room. It will be a spectacular day.”
Isabela and David Grutman at Pegasus World Cup 2021. BY GETTY IMAGES/COURTESY OF PEGASUS WORLD CUP
If we know anything from past years of the star-studded affair—which has drawn in the likes of everyone from Pharrell Williams to Lenny Kravitz, Jennifer Lopez, Post Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Nelly, Karolina Kurkova, Snoop Dogg and more—it’s that the opportunities and surprises for the Pegasus World Cup day of magic are splendid and plenty. Get ready for Saturday, Jan. 29’s grand affair—we’re placing our bets that it will be the ultimate scene to be seen to kick off the 2022 season. Gulfstream Park, 901 S. Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach, @pegasusworldcup
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