Fusaichi Pegasus Heads San Felipe Field Today

In what is arguably the best Kentucky Derby prep race so far this year, Fusaichi Pegasus, the $4 million yearling who has won two of his first three starts, is the 8-5 favorite against six other 3-year-olds in the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes today at Santa Anita.

The San Felipe, a Grade II at 1 1/16 miles, will mark the stakes debut of Fusaichi Pegasus, who has won his last two races easier than the margin of victory would indicate for owner Fusao Sekiguchi and trainer Neil Drysdale.

Things figure to get tougher this afternoon because two of his opponents are The Deputy, who made a successful main track debut when he beat High Yield in the Santa Catalina on Jan. 30, and Anees, who is making his first start since he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 30-1 last Nov. 6 at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Jenine Sahadi for owners Team Valor and Gary Barber, The Deputy, the 5-2 second choice, has worked well since his win, which was his second consecutive in the United States. He had won the Hill Rise on turf four weeks before the Santa Catalina in his first American start.

Completing the field are Commendable, the likely pacesetter who was fourth in the San Rafael Stakes two weeks ago, Promontory Gold and longshots Grey Memo and Buster B Bimbo.

*

Dark Moondancer, the prohibitive 2-5 favorite, was fully extended by 7-2 second choice and defending champion Single Empire, but won the $250,000 San Luis Rey Stakes Saturday at Santa Anita.

The win was the second in a row for the English-bred, 5-year-old who is owned by Charles Cella and trained by Ron McAnally.

Chris McCarron rode Dark Moondancer, who won by a nose in 2:26 for the 1 1/2 miles on turf. Bonapartiste, also trained by McAnally, was third.

Horse Racing Notes

Mike Smith, who will receive the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award today, was the top rider in the third International Jockey Challenge Saturday. Smith won two of the four races and gave Team USA a 56-28 victory over Team Europe. The other jockeys who won races were Chris McCarron and Mick Kinane. . . . Heavily favored Lemon Drop Kid, making his first start since finishing sixth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, crossed the wire first in the $200,000 Widener Handicap at Gulfstream Park, but was disqualified for allegedly interfering with Karly’s Harley and was placed last. Blazing Sword, a 9-1 shot in the field, was moved up to first. Stephen Got Even was scratched from the Widener because of a foot problem.