‘Fu’ real?

Ralph Siraco

Tuesday, May 9, 2000 | 9:34 a.m.

Now that the dust has settled from the beating that Fusaichi Pegasus gave a talented and accomplished field of fellow 3-year-olds in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, speculation is high as to who -- if anyone -- can beat the "flying horse" on the next stop in the Triple Crown.

For many Derby participants, another go at Fusaichi Pegasus in the Preakness Stakes a week from Saturday is not feasible, due to a lack of ample recovery time.

Some have cried "no mas" after "Fu's" convincing victory in Derby No. 126.

So if there is to be a bona fide challenger in Baltimore, then it may be one with fresh legs.

The early Preakness Stakes probables are 11 ambitious contenders with their sights set on the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. To be sure, the $1 million purse may be enough incentive to muster a challenge -- not to mention a chance to go down in the record books as the horse that stopped a Triple Crown bid.

Six of the 11 on the Preakness draft list ran in the Derby, but the most dangerous horses may be those who passed on a trip to Churchill Downs.

Red Bullet, whose connections decided to pass up the Derby in favor of freshening for the Preakness, has already had a "Pegasus experience." The lightly raced son of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled finished second to Fusaichi Pegasus in the Grade II Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 15. Owned by Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park proprietor Frank Stronach, Red Bullet suffered his first career defeat in the Wood after three victories.

Another four will have their first Fusaichi sighting at Ol' Hilltop. Those are Snuck In, Performing Magic, Sun Cat and Tim's Crossing.

Like those of Red Bullet, the connections of Snuck In decided to pass on the Derby in favor of the Preakness. After winning the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in his sophomore debut, Snuck In finished second to Graeme Hall in the Arkansas Derby on April 15. Graeme Hall followed up his Hot Springs victory by finishing 19th and last in the Kentucky Derby.

Performing Magic won the Derby Trial Stakes at Churchill Downs the week before the Derby and would have to be supplemented to the Preakness, as he was not one of the 400 horses nominated to the Triple Crown.

Derby Trial runner-up Sun Cat is Triple Crown-nominated and would be a new shooter for the D. Wayne Lukas barn.

Tim's Crossing represents the Preakness local angle. After reeling off three consecutive victories on the Maryland circuit at Laurel Park, he caught an off track and finished third in the Federico Tessio Stakes -- Pimlico's Preakness prep race -- for his first career loss.

The Derby also-rans that will tee it up again are: Impeachment (third), More Than Ready (fourth), Wheelaway (fifth), Captain Steve (eighth and still a maybe), High Yield (15th) and Hal's Hope (16th). Although some early lists had War Chant and Anees as possibles, the connections of both have indicated they will not be going.

There have been 36 "near misses" in the Triple Crown since writer Charles Hatton of the Daily Racing Form coined the phrase to link the three races in 1930.

Eight horses lost the Derby and came back to win the Preakness and Belmont. Seventeen have captured the first two jewels -- the Derby and the Preakness -- before losing the Belmont. The other 11 won the Derby, missed the Preakness, then came back to win the Belmont.

The sport of kings has not had a Triple Crown winner since Affirmed became the 11th horse in history to win it in 1978.

If Fusaichi Pegasus passes his Preakness exam the way he flew through his Derby finals, then horse racing will come to the Belmont with a Triple Crown on the line for the fourth consecutive year.

Last year, Charismatic suffered an injury and managed a third-place finish to Lemon Drop Kid. In 1998, Real Quiet came within inches of the sweep when he was runner-up -- by a nose -- to Victory Gallop. In 1997, Silver Charm held off everyone except Touch Gold.

Of the 17 horses who won the first two jewels, eight were beaten in the Belmont by horses they beat in the Derby.

Ralph Siraco covers horse racing for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at Racedaylv@aol.com.