SPOTLIGHT PERFORMANCES
JUNE 9, 2005
by James Scully
Last Thursday at Belmont Park, LADY PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus) captured her second consecutive start, moving easily to the lead on the far turn and coasting
to the wire for a 5 1/2-length score over first-level allowance rivals. A 3
3/4-length maiden winner going seven furlongs in her previous outing at
Churchill Downs, the Bobby
Frankel-trained three-year-old filly stretched out to 1 1/16 miles here and
displayed plenty of promise. Owned and bred by Stonerside, Lady Pegasus is out
four-time Grade 1 queen Nastique (Naskra) and is bred for both surfaces.
WINNER (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) was an impressive first-out winner over a
good-looking field of maiden special weight rivals on Sunday at Belmont,
stalking the pace until blowing past her rivals in upper stretch. She drew
nicely through the stretch to a 7 3/4-length decision, and the Phipps homebred
is out of Pennant Champion (Mr. Prospector), who is a daughter of champion
Personal Ensign. The Shug McGaughey-conditioned winner is one to watch for at
Saratoga.
FOLKORE (Tiznow) provided her freshman sire with his first winner when
disposing of her maiden special weight opponents in striking fashion on Friday
at Big Sandy, coming home very quickly to capture the five-furlong event by four
lengths. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Folklore ran a second faster (:57 4/5) than
male juvenile rivals going the same distance two races later on the card. She’s
looks like a player in upcoming stakes.
KEEP ON PUNCHING (Silver Deputy) keeps on winning in Southern California,
taking his third straight race with a four-length victory over optional-claiming
rivals at Hollywood Park. The Anthony Saavedra charge broke his maiden in
mid-April at Santa Anita, then easily defeated first-level allowance rivals
before proving best in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile test. The four-year-old
earned a 103 BRIS Speed rating and hails from multiple stakes winner Amber Ryder
(Red Ryder), who is the dam of Grade 3 victor Goldseeker Bud (Smile) and Annasan
(Corporate Report), the dam of Canadian champion three-year-old A Bit o’Gold
(Gold Fever).
PRINCESS EZRA (GB) (Rahy), the first foal from 1999 Alcibiades S. (G2) winner
Scratch Pad (Notebook), broke her maiden in front-running fashion on Sunday at
Hollywood, easily holding her rivals at bay for a one-length triumph in the 1
1/16-mile grassy maiden special weight affair. Richard Mandella trains the
three-year-old filly, who may continue to show more on the turf.
PULPIT EXCHANGE (Pulpit) represented his hot sire with an impressive
performance at Churchill Downs on Saturday, closing from just off the pace for a
5 1/4-length tally in this seven-furlong maiden special weight event. Out of
Grade 3 winner Silent Greeting (Secret Hello), the three-year-old colt made
short work of his rivals after finishing second in his career bow previously.
Elliott Walden trains the chestnut.