The perennial thoroughbred horse racing event, which has quickly become as much of a social spectacle as it is a sporting affair, goes down on Saturday, January 28. And Miami-based Groot Hospitality has signed a new multi-year partnership to add its A-list zest to select culinary and entertainment elements.
“This gives us such a unique opportunity to curate amazing experiences, combining our entertainment prowess and bringing in celebrity VIPs with our hospitality program,” Chris Cuomo, chief operating officer of Groot Hospitality, tells New Times. “This partnership is amazing for us as we’re always looking to expand as a lifestyle brand. And what better way to partner than with event organizer 1/ST.”
According to Cuomo, two major Groot takeovers will be at this year’s Pegasus World Cup with a major culinary appeal.
The first will be the Carousel Club, which is sure to be the entire event’s focal point for culinary goodness, celebrity moments, and entertainment. Located on the rails of the track and curated by LIV and Palm Tree Crew, core Groot brands to offer bites will include Brickell mainstay Komodo, Papi Steak (known for its 55-ounce Wagyu tomahawk steak presented in a briefcase), Coconut Grove-based the Key Club and Gekkō, a recently opened Miami collaboration with Bad Bunny.
Specific dishes in Carousel Club provided to New Times will include a Papi's Platter with two ounces of Kaluga Black Diamond caviar, latkes, and a horseradish cream-topped ribeye Papi Steak sandwich. Gekkō will offer maki selections, including a roll topped with A5 Wagyu beef.
To complement the Carousel Club vibes, Norwegian DJ Kygo and Ryan Tedder-led pop-rock band, OneRepublic, will perform. Admission to the Carousel Club – including an open bar from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., complimentary bites, and a $25 wagering credit from the event organizer, 1/ST – is currently running $250.
Morsels from Swan, a Groot Hospitality restaurant based in the Miami Design District, will be served at this year's Pegasus Cup.
Groot Hospitality photo
For Flamingo Room guests, jazz vocalist and trumpeter Brian Newman – the bandleader and arranger for Lady Gaga's Jazz & Piano Las Vegas residency – will perform live. Flamingo Room admission costs $770 a pop.
"The great part of a brand of hospitality like ours is that we are always bringing something different to the table," says Cuomo. "We want people to have an experience, and they will have just that."
Pegasus World Cup. 11 a.m. Saturday, January 28, at Gulfstream Park, 901 S. Federal Hwy., Hallandale Beach; 954-454-7000; pegasusworldcup.com. Tickets cost $125 to $770.
