Cox's Home Brew dominates the Pegasus; Haskell undecided

Home Brew won the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday in impressive fashion. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds is a prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell on July 23.

Ridden by Paco Lopez and trained by Brad Cox, the son of Street Sense stalked the early duel between Cyberviking and Electability, made a three-wide move at the quarter pole and pulled away to win by 6 1/4 lengths. The final time was 1:43.20.

Home Brew is now 6: 4-1-0 with career earnings of $293,625. Assistant trainer Blake Cox, Brad’s son, was not ready to commit the colt to the Haskell. Stablemate and Arkansas Derby winner Cyberknife already is pointed to the Haskell.

Last year, Cox won the Haskell with Mandaloun after Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified. 

“I’m not sure about that,” said Blake Cox. “We have to see where we are. We’ve had good luck in the Haskell (winning it last year with Mandaloun), so we’ll see.”

“I heard (Geroux) had some travel issues and couldn’t get here, so I found out about two or three hours before the race that I would be riding this horse," Lopez said. "They said he would rate, that he did not have to be on the lead, and he was so comfortable watching those two in front of us duel. When I asked him, he just went. This is a very nice horse.”  

Home Brew paid $5.00.