“We gave him 17 days without a saddle or, obviously, going to the track, so he got a really big break,” said co-owner Ramiro Restrepo. “He was kind of getting a bit bored and wanting to do something so it was time to get him rolling. He has been back on the track for a little under two weeks now. This was his first leg-stretcher. It was a little wake up call. This was not a matter of tightening the screws. It was more like his first day back in the gym.”

Restrepo said that no one should read too much into how slow the time of the work was.

“He had a little over two weeks of doing absolutely nothing and kind of laying out,” he said. “The last thing you would want is to rip him out of the gate. It was more of a strong gallop that was recorded as a breeze. It was the first work back, so the time has nothing to do with it.  It was to show we're back in workout mode. We've never cared about his times in works. There's a bigger objective here than the time of a workout. You don't get prize money or trophies for winning in the mornings. It's just a fitness thing to get him up and at them.”

Restrepo said that three options are being discussed regarding where Mage will run next. They are the GI Haskell S., the GII Jim Dandy S. or the GI Travers.

“Whether we point him to the Jim Dandy, the Haskell or go straight to the Travers, there's a 33 percent chance with all three,” he said. “It's going to be a matter of seeing how he's doing once we get him on a steady work pattern. The No. 1 goal is to make it to the Travers. Bar none, the Travers is the big show for us. He's obviously proven at the mile and a quarter. He'll be shipping to Saratoga sooner rather than later.”

Also, yet to be resolved is what Javier Castellano will do in the event that Mage and GI Belmont S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) show up in the same race. If both stay healthy, they will likely face each other sometime this summer, perhaps in the Travers.

“So many things can happen and we are quite a ways away from when he races again, so we haven't even broached the subject with Javier regarding what his decision might be or what his thoughts are,” Restrepo said. “Let's not put the cart before the horse. Let's get him in race shape and then we will start having those discussions with Javier.”

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“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus who was euthanized at Ashford Stud yesterday due to the infirmities of old age,” the organization said.

Bred by Arthur Hancock and Bob and Janice McNair of Stonerside farm, 'Fu Peg' as he was affectionately known, was a $4 million yearling when purchased by Fusao Sekiguchi at the 1998 Keeneland July sale. Trained by Neil Drysdale, Fusaichi Pegasus won the GII San Felipe S. and the GII Wood Memorial before winning the 2000 Kentucky Derby as the favorite and finishing 2nd in the GI Preakness S.

A year on from his sire Mr. Prospector passing away, a heated bidding war involving most farms in Lexington for Fusaichi Pegasus ensued, and he retired to Ashford Stud at the end of 2000 for a then record breaking sum.

Twenty Years Later, Fond Memories Remain of Fusaichi Pegasus

Fusaichi Pegasus went on to sire six champions worldwide and Grade I winners which included Roman Ruler, Champ Pegasus, Haradasun (Aus) and Bandini. Southern hemisphere stints at Haras Don Alberto and Haras Philipson yielded champion older horse, Bronzo (Chi), and Fusaichi Pegasus was also broodmare sire of 2023 Chilean Triple Crown winner, Fortino (Chi) (Midshipman).

The stallion was pensioned from stud duties in 2020 and had been living out his retirement at Ashford.

“Fu Peg was a fantastic racehorse and a colorful character,” said Ashford Stud general manager Dermot Ryan, “I would like to thank Richard Barry and all of his team, past and present, for providing the highest level of care for him throughout his time at Ashford.”

Fusaichi Pegasus 1997 – 2023.
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus who was… https://t.co/U5IQ4PA9N7 pic.twitter.com/dZarxGa0DN

— Coolmore America (@coolmoreamerica) May 24, 2023

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The featured event, sponsored by Emirates Airline, attracted 171 entries. Of the 24 Group or Grade 1 winners besides the Zedan Racing-owned and Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer, is the duo's three-time Grade I winner Taiba (Gun Runner).

Joining them could be a pair of longshot headliners from last year; namely, GI Kentucky Derby champ Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and upset G1 Saudi Cup victor Emblem Road (Quality Road). Japan continues their well-documented rise on the international racing stage, and 2022 G1 Dubai Turf dead-heater Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) holds a Dubai World Cup nomination this time.

As for the rest of the card, the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic nominations includes Japanese stars like the 2022 winner Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), as well as Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), the highest-rated 3-year-old in the world last year. Standing in their way is Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby who has entered Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Turf.

Speaking of the Dubai Turf, sponsored by DP World, the other half of the dead heat from last year in Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returns, while newcomer Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) made the list. They could be facing rookie international shipper and reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). Meanwhile, the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen could pit the Steve Asmussen trainee Gunite (Gun Runner) against RRR Racing's local hero Switzerland (Speightstown).

Grass sprinting noms in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, sponsored by Azizi Developments, are led by the well-travelled Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) who could make the journey from Down Under. Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien's three wins in the G2 UAE Derby make him a logical frontrunner, especially as he has nominated GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).

The G2 Dubai Gold Cup, sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, could signal the return of 2021 winner and G1 Gold Cup hero Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}). While the rundown of entries for the G2 Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Nakheel, is marked by defending champion Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), as well as Japanese challengers like Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) and Derma Louvre (Jpn) (Pyro), plus Americans hopefuls like Pioneer Of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile) and White Abarrio (Race Day).

“We are delighted by the strength and depth of entries for this year's Dubai World Cup meeting,” said Stephanie Cooley, International Manager for the Club. “To have horses from more than 20 countries considering the trip shows the meeting's continued global appeal.”

Invitations for the meeting are set to go out during February. Click here, for the full list of the nominations.

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The 10-year-old sire is also responsible for a pair of stakes horses from his second crop to race bringing his lifetime AEI to 6.33 (through 11/8/21). This term, his 2021 yearlings averaged $63,833, from six sold, with a median of $66,000. The top priced offerings by the sire this season sold for $120,000, and $100,000 at Keeneland September.

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“I've entered him, he's running,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. “I figure I'll use this as a prep for the Penn [$1-million GI Pennsylvania Derby, Sept. 25) and see how he likes this track.”

In his most recent work Monday, the dark bay covered five furlongs in :58.60, finishing on par with stablemate Ax Man for the fastest of 68 works at the distance and better than a half-second quicker than the next fastest move.

“He worked a little fast but he came out of it good,” Baffert said. “He's going to need the race, coming off a layoff, and he's got to go a mile. But, if I can run him here that will set him up to go on to the Pennsylvania Derby.”

Also scheduled to contest the Shared Belief is Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}), who defeated Medina Spirit by four lengths in the Apr. 3 GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Rock Your World, trained by John Sadler, subsequently finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby and sixth–beaten 22 lengths by Essential Quality–in the GI Belmont S. June 5.

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