The Pegasus World Cup Invitational lost a huge amount of its appeal on Thursday with the scratchings of the two favourites, first Spun To Run with a skin infection and then Omaha Beach with a leg injury.

That leaves a field of 10 of some of the best of the older dirt horses in the US to try to win one of the richest races in North America, this year worth $3 million. The Bob Baffert-trained Mucho Gusto now looks like going off favourite with the John Sadler-trained Higher Power next in line.