They’ll be fighting on and off the track at Pegasus World Cup

That’s because The Stronach Group, the family owned business that is the biggest racetrack operator in the U.S., is embroiled in an ugly family legal battle that will be hanging over the marquee day of racing in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

Family patriarch Frank Stronach, who made billions as the founder of the Magna auto parts manufacturing company, and his daughter, Belinda, a former member of Canada’s Parliament who took the reins at The Stronach Group in 2013, are locked in a court battle over how those billions are being spent. Bloomberg News published an update on the feud on Wednesday, which is worth reading if you want the gory details or have concerns that this might ultimately affect some of the company’s properties, including Santa Anita, Gulfstream and Golden Gate Fields.

But I mention the familial fracas purely for reasons of titillation. What horseplayers care about is the stellar 12-race card, including seven graded stakes, at Gulfstream on Saturday. The card will be capped by the Pegasus World Cup and a new addition with nearly as much cash attached – the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.

The #RJhorseracing handicapping corps will weigh in on both races momentarily — as will I — but let me first set the stage for the main event.

Accelerate, the Breeders’ Cup Classic champ who is making the final start of his career, is the 9-5 morning line favorite in the 1⅛-mile Pegasus World Cup, but Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner City of Light, Cigar Mile winner Patternrecognition and Triple Crown participants Audible and Bravazo are among those with chances to upset the apple cart.

Favorites have done well in the brief history of the Pegasus World Cup, with Arrogate and Gun Runner both following up their wins in the Breeders’ Cup Classic with even bigger paydays at Gulfstream. But the 1⅛-mile distance was a smart choice for the race, as it invites top milers like City of Light and Patternrecognition to try to stretch their speed for another 220 yards.

#RJhorseracing featured races

The #RJhorseracing handicappers were nearly evenly divided in the Pegasus World Cup and the Turf Invitational, a 1 3/16th-mile turf test for 3-year-olds and up.

Bricks and Mortar (5-1), held the narrowest of leads at deadline over Yoshida, the 5-2 morning line favorite, and Catapult (7-2).

I, too, think Yoshida is a heck of a horse, but his late-running style makes him vulnerable. I’ll use Catapult on top, with Yoshida and the Japanese mare Aerolithe (8-1) filling out my top three.

In the World Cup, the crowd ’cappers are expressing strong confidence that Accelerate will go out a winner as he heads off to the breeding shed. They like City of Light (5-2), winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and Gunnevera (8-1) filling out the minor placings.

“Sometimes you have to stop yourselves from out-dumbing them,” handicapper Howie Reed said of the heavy favorite. “This is one of those times. Hard to pick anyone else.”

Good point, Howie, but I’m going to disagree in this case (despite the fact that Accelerate burned me when I went against him in the Classic).

I think City of Light’s race in the Dirt Mile was just as impressive as Accelerate’s and he gets credit for having beaten Accelerate at this distance last spring in the Oaklawn Handicap. The only question I have here is whether Patternrecognition (10-1) will soften him up on the front end enough for Accelerate to catch them both.

I’ll take my chances and use City of Light on top, with Accelerate and True Timber (30-1) in the minor placings.

Last week’s picks

The crowd ’cappers correctly called LeComte Stakes winner War of Will ($5.20) and had the winner of the Col. E.R Bradley Stakes, First Premio ($7.20), picked second.

I, too, had First Premio in the second slot but my LeComte pick, Manny Wah, only managed to run third.

You can always check to see how we’re doing at http://bit.ly/2HxxwwB.

Mike Brunker’s horse racing column appears Friday. He can be reached at mbrunker@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4656. Follow @mike_brunker on Twitter.