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Preakness Notebook

Whither Fusaichi?

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Posted: Friday May 19, 2000 12:50 PM

BALTIMORE -- Preakness favorite and Kentucky Derby champion Fusaichi Pegasus made his first public appearance at Pimlico when he took his initial gallop around the track early Thursday morning -- though to call it a gallop would be generous. The notoriously capricious colt stopped several times during his workout and appeared to be at odds with exercise rider Andy Dernin over how fast they would go.

"He's fine," insisted Neil Drysdale, the colt's habitually understated trainer. "He's jumping around and playing. He was just stopping and looking around. We didn't intend to do anything really serious anyway."

Fusaichi Pegasus arrived from Kentucky at about 2 p.m. Wednesday, and has been sequestered ever since in his stall inside the remote Barn 7 on the Pimlico backside. When he walked off the ramp from his van to his stall, the big bay was visible only for a brief instant before disappearing into the shedrow. After the colt's workout Thursday morning, he made the unusual decision to give the colt his bath inside the barn. Normally horses are bathed outside.

Pimlico has bent over backward to accommodate Drysdale and his surging superstar this week. Before Fusaichi Pegasus arrived, the track released a memo titled, "Press Access To Fusaichi Pegasus Barn," which forbids access to the horse on Saturday. Normally, all barn areas are open to the press during the week. Drysdale staked a further claim to his privacy by announcing Thursday that he will saddle Fusaichi Pegasus in the paddock under the grandstand on Preakness Day, rather than on the turf course with his rivals, because he wants to keep the colt cool.

"I'm never confident," Drysdale said. "I might be optimistic, but not confident."

Speedy Captain Steve

Trainer Bob Baffert walked Captain Steve, his entry in the Preakness, to the Pimlico track Thursday morning to let the colt work over the surface for the first time. Captain Steve galloped a mile and three-eighths before walking back to his barn with his trainer.

"We just wanted to give him a look around," said Baffert. "He doesn't need much more. He had his workout Monday and he's ready."

On Monday, Captain Steve turned in a bullet work at Churchill Downs, covering five furlongs in :58 1/5 seconds. It was the fastest work of the morning at that distance.

Mark Beech is a Sports Illustrated reporter. Look for more Preakness analysis throughout the week.

 

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