Only five horses were entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Pegasus Stakes (G3), but included in the small group is the Chad Brown-trained Timeline.
The chestnut son of Hard Spun was made the 1-5 favorite on the morning line for the Pegasus, which serves as a major prep for the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on July 30.
Timeline is unbeaten in three career races thus far, breaking his maiden on March 4 at Gulfstream Park by a half-length. The Kentucky-bred colt romped by 13 lengths next out on April 6 at Aqueduct against allowance/optional claiming rivals, and easily lived up to his 2-5 favoritism in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) on May 13. Timeline captured that Belmont Park contest by 3 1/2 lengths to earn a career- and field-best 109 BRIS Speed rating.
Brown is trying to keep Timeline, who will be ridden by Javier Castellano on Sunday, and Preakness Stakes (G1) upsetter Cloud Computing apart for now. While Timeline is headed to the Haskell, his stablemate is under consideration for the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) on July 29 at Saratoga.
Lining up to oppose Timeline in the Pegasus is Talk Logistics. The Ed Plesa Jr. trainee is looking for his first win since breaking his maiden last July 3 at Parx Racing. He wouldn’t be seen in competition again until closing out his juvenile campaign and opening his sophomore season by placing in the December 10 Buffalo Man Stakes and January 7 Mucho Macho Man Stakes, respectively.
The High Cotton chestnut tried his luck on the Triple Crown trail, but was well-beaten when fourth in both the Holy Bull Stakes (G2) and Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). Following a sixth-placing in the Florida Derby (G1), Talk Logistics stepped back down into allowance/optional claiming company and finished second against that ilk on May 13 at Monmouth while going wide on both turns.
“He’s been doing excellent,” said Plesa, who tabbed Paco Lopez to ride Talk Logistics in the Pegasus. “He went against the big boys all winter and had a bad trip last time out. We gave him a little breather and a stamina work before this one and he looks ready to go.”
Honor the Fleet faces stakes rivals for only the second time in this spot. The bay son of To Honor and Serve broke his maiden and captured an allowance/optional claimer by a combined 10 lengths before trying stakes rivals last out in the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico.
Trained by Louis Albertrani, Honor the Fleet finished fifth in the Sir Barton last out on May 20, but was elevated to fourth via disqualification of another rival. He gets Joe Bravo in the irons for the first time in this spot.
Glory Stars and Greek Prince complete the Pegasus field.
