Pegasus Stakes: Odds and analysis for Haskell prep
The listed, $125,000 Pegasus Stakes, which serves as the final local prep race for the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes on July 18, drew a field of six 3-year-olds who will race 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Monmouth Park. The top two finishers from the Pegasus receive a free entry into the Haskell.
The Pegasus is one of four Haskell preview day stakes races. In addition to the Pegasus, the Eatontown Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares serves as the prep for the Matchmaker (G3), the Salvator Mile (G3) is linked to the Monmouth Cup for older males, and the Monmouth Stakes (G3) preps for the older male turf division in the United Nations (G2).
Click here for Monmouth Park entries and results.
Here is a full-field analysis for the Pegasus with morning-line odds from the Horse Racing Nation staff. The Pegasus is scheduled as race 5 of 10 with post time set for 2:52 p.m. EDT.
1. National Charter, 4-1. Constitution – Rusty Arnold / Tyler Gaffalione – 2: 1-0-1 - $78,946. National Charter will ship from Kentucky for Rusty Arnold after breaking his maiden in his second try at Churchill Downs three weeks ago. On that day he won by more than three lengths going a mile after pressing the pace in a field of six. He debuted at Keeneland as the 5-2 favorite in a sprint field of nine, where he had the lead and finished third. Win contender.
2. Tricky Business, 6-1. Vekoma – George Weaver / Sam Marin – 1: 1-0-0 - $44,000. Tricky Business was a $5,000 supplemental nomination to the Pegasus after a victory in his only start, which was a maiden at Aqueduct for New York-breds last month. In that field of seven at 3-1, the home-bred from the stable of Randy Hill stalked the pace in the one-mile race, then took the lead after a half-mile and drew off to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Win contender.
3. Star Sweeper, 2-1. Rock Your World – Louis Linder Jr. / Francisco Martinez – 8: 2-2-0 - $147,500. Star Sweeper was a debut winner by two lengths as a 2-year-old at Parx Racing in September at 5-1 against a field of 12. He tried a pair of stakes at Delaware Park and Laurel Park without success but then won an allowance in December with a stalking trip. As a 3-year-old, Star Sweeper tried the Kentucky Derby trail and was fifth in the Withers at Aqueduct. Subsequently, he was second in a stakes at Parx and last month set the pace in the Long Branch at Monmouth and finished second by a head behind a Chad Brown runner. Win contender.
4. Schoolyardsuperman, 9-5. Practical Joke – Chad Brown / Flavien Prat – 5: 1-2-0 - $92,350. Schoolyardsuperman made his first start at Aqueduct as the favorite and was pressing the pace when he clipped heels and fell. He came back a month later as an odds-on favorite and contested the pace again to finish second behind a horse who went on to race in a pair of stakes at Gulfstream Park. He got his maiden win by almost six lengths going a mile at the Big A. Then they tried the Kentucky Derby trail and were fourth as the 7-5 favorite in the Withers. Last seen, Schoolyardsuperman was second in a March allowance. Top pick.
5. Ponder and Dream, 4-1. Uncle Lino – Robert Reid Jr. / Mychal Sanchez – 7: 2-3-2 - $117,450. Ponder and Dream was another $5,000 supplemental nomination to the Pegasus. He broke his maiden in his fourth try as a 2-year-old at Parx at the end of December after hitting the board in his first three starts. On that day he got to the lead shortly after the start and drew off to win by more than two lengths going six furlongs on a muddy track. This year he moved to allowances and was a winner in his third try last month at 2-1 in a field of six Pennsylvania-breds racing two turns. Prefer others.
6. Baby Vino, 20-1. Vino Rosso – Lindsay Schultz / Paco Lopez – 5: 1-2-0 - $119,916. Baby Vino broke his maiden in his fifth try at Oaklawn going two turns with a stalking trip after having to steady in tight quarters against a field of seven. In his debut in December as a 2-year-old, he set a contested pace in a sprint and missed by a neck. Baby Vino posted two recent workouts at Monmouth. Toss.
Summary: Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat travels to Monmouth to ride in all four of the Haskell preview day stakes races, including three for Chad Brown, and gets the mount on Schoolyardsuperman in the Pegasus. Tyler Gaffalione will ride National Charter for Rusty Arnold.
One of the six 3-year-olds in the Pegasus field will leave Monmouth as a first-time stakes winner. Star Sweeper missed winning the Long Branch by a head last month, and Schoolyardsuperman was fourth in the Withers just a length behind Ottinho, who went on to finish second in the Blue Grass (G1). The other four horses come to the Pegasus following recent maiden special weight victories.
Flavien Prat opts to ride Schoolyardsuperman for Chad Brown instead of the impressive maiden winner Tricky Business. Schoolyardsuperman earned the highest speed figure in the field in his March allowance race. Schoolyardsuperman is the top pick in the Pegasus.