Jorge Ruiz Díaz and José D'Angelo came agonizingly close to pulling off an upset in the Pegasus

With Crevalle D'Oro, they finished second, 1/2 length behind Destino D'Oro in the turf version of the race for fillies and mares

Jorge Ruiz Díaz came agonizingly close to pulling off an upset with Crevalle D'Oro / ADAM COGLIANESE

HALLANDALE BEACH, Miami (Special for Turf Diario).— In a heart-stopping finish at Gulfstream Park, a late charge by Destino d’Oro sealed one of the most vibrant outcomes of the Pegasus World Cup card. However, for South American racing fans, the headline was the extraordinary performance of Crevalle d’Oro, who, at the hands of Argentine jockey Jorge Ruiz Díaz and Venezuelan trainer José Francisco D’Angelo, came within inches of pulling off the upset of the year in American racing.

The winner, a daughter of Bolt d’Oro trained by Brad Cox for Steve Landers Racing LLC, prevailed in the 1,700 meters of the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2), stopping the clock at 1m40s33/100. With Junior Alvarado—also Venezuelan—aboard, she unleashed a furious rally from last place to break the resistance of her rivals and take the lion's share of the US$ 500,000 purse.

The emotional peak for the Latino audience came with the performance of Crevalle d’Oro. Stepping onto the track at odds of 70-1, marking her as the longest shot in the field, the mare prepared by "Kiko" D'Angelo gave a lesson in courage. Jorge Ruiz Díaz, in an impeccable and opportunistic ride, managed to put her right in the mix after leading through much of the straight, fighting tooth and nail to hold off the favorites' late runs.

Ruiz Díaz was just 1/2 length away from his most significant victory since relocating to the United States, proving that his talent belongs on the great international stages. The partnership with the D’Angelo team—already a consolidated powerhouse on the Florida circuit—nearly produced an epic surprise that would have paid out historic dividends. In fact, the exacta between the winner (15-1) and the runner-up (70-1) returned a staggering US$ 281.80 for every dollar wagered.

"We broke and I knew she would come from the back," explained Junior Alvarado after the win. "For a moment I thought I was too far back, but when I switched leads at the 1,200-meter mark, the power I felt beneath me was incredible. She finished with a hell of a kick." Destino d’Oro, coming off a nose victory in the Tropical Park Oaks (L), reaffirmed her love affair with the Gulfstream Park turf and pushed her earnings over US$ 830,000.

Third place went to Movin’ On Up (Accelerate), trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., who after threatening to win mid-stretch, finished half a length behind the runner-up.

The Pegasus card once again proved that in turf racing, nothing is set in stone until the wire is crossed. While the photo belonged to Brad Cox’s team, the greatest recognition went to the bravery of Crevalle d’Oro and the class of Jorge Ruiz Díaz, who held the Argentine flag high on the afternoon’s moral podium.