Year May End With a Classic

After Fusaichi Pegasus captures the Triple Crown, the 3-year-old colt won’t be going to Disneyland.

Some sort of vacation is a certainty for the son of Mr. Prospector after he follows up his Kentucky Derby victory with wins in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, but a likely destination near the end of the year is a return trip to Churchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

If racing fans everywhere get their wish, the 2000 Classic could be the most anticipated ever, even more so than the fourth and final meeting between Sunday Silence and Easy Goer at Gulfstream Park in 1989.

Imagine Fusaichi Pegasus, the first Triple Crown winner in 22 years, taking on Dubai Millennium, who crushed some of the best handicap horses in the world in the Dubai World Cup in late March?

Of course, the Breeders’ Cup is still nearly six months away and things have a way of changing quickly in racing, but isn’t such a matchup fun to think about?

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Some afterthoughts and opinions on the 126th Kentucky Derby:

It is impossible to envision any members of this 3-year-old class beating Fusaichi Pegasus on May 20 in Baltimore or June 10 in New York. The $4-million yearling, who is now worth considerably more than that, won the Derby more easily than the 1 1/2-length margin would indicate and he continued his pattern of getting better with every start. . . .

The day before the Derby on ESPN, Fusaichi Pegasus was labeled “another overhyped California horse.” This marked the fourth consecutive year another overhyped California horse had won the Kentucky Derby. Like Fusaichi Pegasus, the previous three Derby winners--Silver Charm, Real Quiet and Charismatic--were based locally and 1996 winner Grindstone began his year in California as well. . . .

Some of the analysis after the race was also priceless. Somebody on ESPN remarked that Aptitude would have won had Fusaichi Pegasus been stopped at any point. While Aptitude ran very well, beating the rest of the field by four lengths, the only way he would have won the Derby is if somebody had tied Fusaichi Pegasus to a post. . . .

Jockey Kent Desormeaux rode a great race, and the winner had about as perfect a trip as anyone could expect in a 19-horse field, but the same was true about Alex Solis and the runner-up. Aptitude had no traffic problems. He was simply second best. . . .

Part of what makes Fusaichi Pegasus so great is his ability to adapt to any pace. In most of his races, he has laid close to the lead, but in a Derby with quick early fractions, he showed he could come from way back. He was 15th after the first quarter, 13th after a half and 11th after three-quarters of a mile. . . .

David Copperfield is going to be an answer to a trivia question some day. The 3-year-old, who has yet to win a stakes race, will be known as the first--and perhaps only?--horse to beat Fusaichi Pegasus. In the debut for both horses Dec. 11 at Hollywood Park, David Copperfield beat Fusaichi Pegasus by a neck in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race. Since then, David Copperfield has won once while Fusaichi Pegasus has won five in a row. . . .

Some observers made a little bit too much about the whack Captain Steve took from Wheelaway in the stretch. Even without the trouble, the best Captain Steve, who is still winless as a 3-year-old, was going to finish Saturday was fourth. . . .

Nobody should be surprised High Yield ran so poorly. The Fountain Of Youth and Blue Grass winner is most effective when he takes the lead, and his fate was sealed when he was outrun right from the start. The only race he ever came from behind to win was the seven-furlong Hopeful last year at Saratoga. . . .

In the aftermath of this Derby, at least we didn’t have to hear more whining about how the field should be reduced and complaints about post position. Breaking from Post 15 hurt the winner about as much as Post 16 bothered Charismatic in 1999.

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Brave Act, a multiple-stakes winner for owner Sid Craig and trainer Ron McAnally, has been retired after suffering a sesamoid injury. The 6-year-old won the Explosive Bid Handicap at the Fair Grounds on March 26 in his final start.