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Premier Pegasus flies home in Hollywood Prevue

Premier Pegasus remains perfect with the Prevue victory (Benoit Photos) Homebred PREMIER PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus) moved his record to a perfect three-for-three and doubled his earnings to $125,400 when taking Saturday's $100,000 Hollywood Prevue S. (G3) for owner/trainer Myung Kwon Cho. The dark bay colt broke on top of the six-horse field and proceeded to lead through fractions of :23, :46 1/5 and 1:10 before scooting away in the stretch for the 1 1/2-length victory. Regular rider Alonso Quinonez guided the 2-1 second choice in the seven-furlong Cushion Track feature, which was completed in 1:22 3/5. "He always surprises me. He's learning and learning every race," Quinonez said. "The first time, he broke and wanted to go because I had horses inside and outside of me. The second and third time was better because I just had horses on the inside and he was just waiting for them. "When I asked him (in this one), he just took off. I wanted to get the jump on them before they came to me. I was just showing him the whip, I wasn't hitting him hard."

Industry Leader (Cherokee Run) and Awesome Patriot (Awesome Again) vied for second and third after following Premier Pegasus all the way around. Industry Leader got the best of Awesome Patriot by one length on the wire, with the late-running Contemplated (Bertrando) coming from last to take fourth. High Level Jeff (Vindication), the 4-5 favorite, and Northern Indy (A.P. Indy) rounded out the order of finish.

Premier Pegasus paid $6, $3.60 and $2.80 while keying the $1 exotics worth $7.90 (exacta), $34.70 (trifecta) and $133.60 (5-2-1-3 superfecta). Industry Leader, the 2-1 third pick, was worth $3.40 and $2.80 while Awesome Patriot returned $3.60 at 11-1.

Premier Pegasus began his career at Del Mar on July 24, breaking his maiden at first asking by one length. Cho gave his charge a three-month break then brought him back in the Jack Goodman S. during the Oak Tree at Hollywood meet. The Kentucky-bred led all the way home in that October 23 event as well, crossing under the wire 1 3/4 lengths the best.

"I have two possibilities for the (December 18 CashCall) Futurity (G1), this colt and (dual Grade 1-placed) Riveting Reason (Fusaichi Pegasus)," Cho said. "It would be a dream to win that race. I'm not certain yet what I'm going to do. We're eventually looking at the turf with this horse."

Out of the Grade 3-placed Squall Linda (Summer Squall), Premier Pegasus is a half-brother to 2008 Norfolk S. (G1) victor Street Hero (Street Cry [Ire]), who ran third in that same year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and Del Mar Futurity (G1). The 14-year-old mare also has an unnamed yearling colt by Bob and John as well as a full weanling brother to Street Hero.

"I raced the dam of this horse," added Cho, who also owned and trained Street Hero. "She changed my life."

Premier Pegasus' second dam is stakes winner Glimmer Glass (The Axe II), who is responsible for Grade 1-placed multiple stakes king Kohen Witha K. (Kings Lake) as well as the dam of 2002 Martha Washington S. heroine Miss City Halo (Carson City). Glimmer Glass is herself a half-sister to Grade 1 scorer Trojan Bronze (*Tobin Bronze) and the winning Clystalla (Pia Star), from whom is descended the likes of Australian champion November Rain (Estaminet), New Zealand highweight San Luis (Flying Spur) and Group 1 star Race Master (Bluebird).

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