In cyperspace, Fu-Peg gets nod

Friday, May 19, 2000 | 11:21 a.m.

Here's one more way to look at Fusaichi Pegasus' chances for victory in Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course:

It's in the game.

Actually, it's in Horse Racing Fantasy, a simulation for the personal computer published by Clubhouse Enterprises in Phoenix. (You can download shareware of the program, which features 160 of the greatest thoroughbreds of all-time -- and accurately portrays their actual-life performances -- by visiting the website at www.horseracegame.com.)

The Sun asked Horse Racing Fantasy creator Gary Darveaux to stage three fantasy Preakness races -- one at a fast pace, one at an "honest" pace and one at a slow pace -- to get an idea of what to expect when the horses go to post for the real deal on Saturday.

Even in cyberspace, it would appear Fusaichi Pegasus has no equal.

At the top of the stretch, Pegasus led High Yield and Red Bullet by a length and three quarters and at the wire, he was two lengths in front of fast-closing Captain Steve. Impeachment ran third, another three lengths in arrears. Fusaichi Pegasus' winning time was 1:55:19.

While the results seemed true-to-form, the more interesting scenario (and one that can be created within the game) is how Fusaichi Pegasus would rate against Secretariat, Man O'War, Citation and the other great 3-year-olds, all of which were resting comfortably in the cyberstable.