Barn notes: FuPeg acts up again By Mike Diegnan ABC Sports Online BALTIMORE -- If he wasn't the Kentucky Derby champion and the 3-5 favorite for Saturday's Preakness Stakes, maybe it wouldn't be such a story. But on Thursday morning, Fusaichi Pegasus was at it again, showing he's the real boss. The 3-year-old bay colt spent his morning practice doing what he wanted. Not that the $4 million horse wasn't the talk of town because of his ability, but his antics again became the story of the day.
Count Joe Orseno among those that are ready for the challenge that Fusaichi Pegasus provides. On Thursday morning, his Red Bullet galloped, running a mile in 1:58, including 55 seconds for the second half. "He was looking to do more," Orseno said of the second favorite, who opened at 9-2 and is positioned in the four-hole. The New York-based trainer is talking the game: He is not settling for second. "I'm here to win," said Orseno, who makes his Triple Crown debut Saturday. "I don't feel the pressure of having to beat one horse. My pressure is I'm trying to win the Preakness. I'm not worried about one horse; I have to worry about all seven in there.
Orseno's sentiments are commonplace around the track. Few are ready to concede the race to FuPeg. "Our being here doesn't have anything to do with whether he is running or isn't running or how he looked in the Derby," Asmussen said. "It is having a quality 3-year-old that has made a half-million and finding out how he stacks up because of all the options that follow this race." "We're all here to win and beat a good horse," added Captain Steve's owner, Mike Pegram. All in the family The Asmussen family embodies a successful horse racing operation. Keith Asmussen was a jockey and passed that love on to his sons, Steve and Brian. At the age of 5, Steve began walking horses for Keith and his mother, Marilyn. By 16, Steve was a professional jockey. The South Dakota native rode for three years before retiring in 1984. Steve stayed in the business and now is one of the top trainers in the business, earning more than $4 million in 1999. Among those that keep an eye on his stable: Keith. His father now works for him, galloping and training all of the approximately 150 horses at El Primero (Texas). With Snuck In opening at 12-1, Steve is looking for a victory in his Triple Crown debut with another Asmussen on the mount. He will turn the reigns over to the other Asmussen connection, Brian, who earned the moniker Cash from his father. Cash has spent most of his professional riding career in France, where he has been one of the most successful jockeys. "He knows what I want to do with a lot of my horses," Steve said. "We have always had that relationship. He's a jockey. I'm a trainer. If we have the right horse, let's see what we can do with it. It's a great opportunity for us. It's been a lot of fun. It's definitely something that we will -- regardless of how he rides and I train -- that we will remember for a long time." They said it Joe Orseno on whether the sport needs a Triple Crown winner: "The sport definitely needs a hero. I don't see why Red Bullet can't be the hero. Why does it have to be Fusaichi Pegasus?" Drysdale on his current schedule: "I'm training just one horse. Actually two, also a bodyguard." Mike Pegram on what he does to prepare for a race: "All I have to do is pop a beer and watch. He [trainer Bob Baffert] does all the work." |
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