Pegasus takes wing in Clement Hirsch

Champ Pegasus has won four of his last five (Benoit Photos) In only six months, Diamond A Racing Corp. and Arturo Vargas’ homebred CHAMP PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus) has progressed from maiden to Grade 1 hero, and Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) contender, with a professional victory in Sunday’s $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship S. (G1) at Oak Tree at Hollywood. Carefully developed by Richard Mandella, the four-year-old was making just his eighth career start here, but the 8-5 favorite looked like a seasoned veteran when swooping late beneath Joel Rosario. The expected pacesetter Marlang (Langfuhr) glided to the lead and enjoyed a comfortable margin through fractions of :25 2/5, :49 4/5 and 1:14. Worth Repeating (Giant’s Causeway) and Marlang’s stablemate from the Neil Drysdale barn, Bourbon Bay (Sligo Bay [Ire]), took up tracking positions, but all the while, Champ Pegasus was biding his time in sixth.

Late on the backstretch, Falcon Rock (Ire) (Hawk Wing) advanced from midpack
to press the leader, but Marlang forged clear again on the far turn. Still in
command through the mile in 1:37 4/5, Marlang stuck to his guns in the stretch
and held a 1 1/2-length advantage over a stalling Falcon Rock at the
eighth-pole.

By that time, Champ Pegasus was surging on the outside. Gaining ground hand
over fist, he overwhelmed Marlang in deep stretch. Also finishing fast in the
dying strides were Where’s the Remote (Unbridled Native), who flew from last,
and a belatedly-rallying Bourbon Bay. Marlang was relegated to fourth at the
wire.

Champ Pegasus had three-quarters of a length to spare over Where’s the Remote
while negotiating 1 1/4 miles in 2:01 1/5 on the firm turf. The popular winner
gave his supporters $5.40, $3.40 and $2.40 and keyed the $1 exotics — $18.80
(exacta), $64.20 (trifecta) and $271.90 (1-3-6-5 superfecta).

The second-, third- and fourth-place finishers were separated by two necks.
Where’s the Remote was dispatched at 7-1 in his stakes debut, and only his sixth
lifetime start, and the runner-up was good for $6.40 and $3.40. Bourbon Bay, the
2-1 second choice in his comeback from a five-month layoff, returned $2.60.
Marlang was 1 1/4 lengths clear of Falcon Rock in fifth, with Unusual Suspect
(Unusual Heat), Worth Repeating and Buenos Dias (Ire) (Peintre Celebre)
completing the order of finish.

Champ Pegasus now sports a mark of 8-4-2-1, $358,520. Unraced until last
December, he finished fifth in his career debut at Hollywood Park in his only
off-the-board result so far. After placing in a turf maiden and a Pro-Ride
maiden at Santa Anita, he earned his initial career win while going 1 1/8 miles
on Santa Anita’s turf, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths on April 14, then was given a
two-month break. Mandella brought Champ Pegasus back to take an
allowance/optional claiming test over this course and distance on June 12, and
he followed up with a fine second to Marlang in his stakes bow in the July 18
Sunset H. (G3). Champ Pegasus moved forward next time in the August 29 Del Mar
H. (G2), where he charged from far back to win impressively by 1 1/4 lengths.

The Kentucky-bred Champ Pegasus is the first registered foal out of
Argentinean champion Salt Champ (Arg) (Salt Lake), heroine of the Mil Guineas
(Arg-G1), Polla de Potrancas (Arg-G1) and Gran Premio Gilberto Lerena (Arg-G1).
Following her importation to the United States, she captured the Santa Monica H.
(G1) in 2005. The 10-year-old mare also has an unraced juvenile filly named
Dynamo (Dynaformer), an unnamed yearling colt by Mr. Greeley and a weanling
filly by Tiznow. Champ Pegasus’ second dam is multiple Group 3-placed Wandel (Arg)
(Fitzcarraldo), who is a full sister to Group 2-placed listed winner Mount
Wilson, and this is the same family as Group 3 scorer Nordstern (Fitzcarraldo).