Fusaichi Pegasus Favored at Derby

Richard Rosenblatt

Saturday, May 6, 2000 | 8:24 a.m.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- So much to think about, so little time.

In the two minutes it takes to run the world's greatest horse race, owners, trainers and jockeys will go through a lifetime of emotions as 19 3-year-olds rumble around Churchill Downs in today's 126th Kentucky Derby.

"Hollywood scripts don't always work out," trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. "We're always optimistic, but if we get our teeth kicked in, we'll come back next year."

Rarely has a Derby seen such a variety of plots and subplots, both human and equine.

A Japanese entrepreneur owns the $4 million favorite in Fusaichi Pegasus, the frisky 3-year-old colt who loves to buck and rear up before and after workouts and races.

Jenine Sahadi saddles second-choice The Deputy in her bid to become the first female trainer to win the Derby.

The sheiks from Dubai have two entries in long shots China Visit and Curule. The latter will be ridden by Marlon St. Julien, the Derby's first black jockey since 1921.

Lukas, one of three Hall of Fame trainers with Derby horses, has three chances for his fifth win in High Yield, Commendable and Exchange Rate. Ben A. Jones has the record with six wins. This is Lukas' 20th straight Derby.

There's more:

Harold Rose came back from quadruple bypass surgery, and the 88-year-old owner-trainer sends out Hal's Hope with once washed-up jockey Roger Velez aboard; The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Prince Ahmed bin Salam, a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family, owns 2-year-old champion Anees; and Captain Steve, named for Louisville cop Steve Thompson, tries to give trainer Bob Baffert his third Derby win in four years.

And then there's the Derby curses: The last favorite, as well as the last 2-year-old champion, to win was Spectacular Bid in 1979; and no Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner has ever won in the 16-year history of the Breeders' Cup.

"This has to be one of the deepest crops in awhile," Alex Hassinger, who trains Anees, said. "Fusaichi was sensational in the Wood; High Yield is just so consistent; The Deputy hasn't done a thing wrong and runs his heart out. There are so many contenders, and don't discount Anees."

Despite his 2-year-old credentials, Anees is 20-1, based on two subpar efforts this year in the San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby.

Baffert, who won the Derby with Silver Charm in '97 and Real Quiet in '98, says there's usually two or three horses to worry about in the 1 1/4 -mile Derby.

"This time, I think there are seven or eight who can jump up there and win," he said, including his own colt, of course. "Fusaichi Pegasus is a very good horse, but a lot of things can happen."

Take last year.

"Charismatic was coming off a big race and woke up at the right time," Baffert said of the $62,500 claimer who went off as odds of 31-1. He also said War Chant "can be the hidden entry."

Neil Drysdale, elected to racing's Hall of Fame on Tuesday, trains Fusaichi Pegasus and War Chant, and said both horses have done extremely well this week.

Fusaichi Pegasus, owned by Fusao Sekiguchi, had a few early-morning adventures, though, throwing an exercise rider and rearing up and falling to the track last Thursday. Drysdale says his Mr. Prospector colt is just being "playful."

Hall of Fame jockeys are aboard three of the top contenders. Jerry Bailey rides War Chant; Chris McCarron is on The Deputy and Pat Day rides High Yield.

Fusaichi Pegasus will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, who nearly won the Triple Crown aboard Real Quiet.

There's also Todd Pletcher, who comes into his first Derby with four starters, out Lukas-ing his former boss. Pletcher, 32, saddles More Than Ready, Impeachment, Graeme Hall and undefeated Trippi.

Sahadi, 37, has saddled winners in three $1 million races, and has been an accomplished trainer for several years. Yet, she spent the week answering questions about her chance to make history.

"I'm not trying to make any political statement," Sahadi, the 10th woman trainer to have a Derby starter, said. "I train horses because I love animals."

The sheiks are back again after their first Derby try ended with Worldly Manner finished a respectable seventh in '99 after being among the leaders at the top of the stretch.

China Visit, unbeaten in two official races, is the better half of the entry, and Godolphin Racing's trainer, Saeed bin Suroor, expects a better showing than last year.

"He's ready to run in the big race," the 33-year-old trainer said. "To win would mean a lot for the Sheik. To win the Kentucky Derby, that's our target."

It's everybody else's, too.