Verrazano had no one to race after Itsmyluckyday was pulled up (David Owens/Equi-Photo)

A record Father's Day crowd of 28,951 was on-hand at Monmouth Park Sunday to view what was billed as a match race between Wood Memorial winner Verrazano and Preakness runner-up Itsmyluckyday in the Grade 3, $148,500 Pegasus Stakes, but it was not to be as the latter was pulled up following the opening half-mile and vanned off.

"It felt like a left hind," said jockey Mike Smith, who had piloting duties aboard Itsmyluckyday. "He actually broke really sharp and was just about to go up to press Verrazano and I felt something behind. I wasn't going to take a chance and decided it was better to be safe than sorry so I just took the cautious road."

That left the way clear for the Todd Pletcher-trained Verrazano and jockey John Velazquez to finish their wire job in the Pegasus through splits of :24 4/5, :48 3/5, 1:12 3/5 and 1:35 4/5. The duo, who grabbed command when the gates opened, stopped the clock for the 1 1/16-mile contest over Monmouth's fast track in 1:41 3/5.

Verrazano is headed to the Haskell off his Pegasus romp (Bill Denver/Equi-Photo)

Verrazano was sent off the heavy 2-5 favorite and returned $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10 to his backers. Reporting Star followed in second by 9 1/4 lengths while 53-1 longshot Bethel was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third. Gefest completed the order under the wire after Edge of Reality and Kanturk Kid were both withdrawn.

Verrazano was making his first start since finishing 14th in the Kentucky Derby on May 4. Prior to that, the bay son of More Than Ready was a perfect four-for-four, including victories in the Wood Memorial and Tampa Bay Derby in his initial stakes tries.

Verrazano, who races for Let's Go Stable, Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith, is expected to make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational, the centerpiece of the Monmouth Park season on July 28.

"I think we got exactly what we wanted to set us up for the Haskell," said Brian Sullivan, co-owner of Let's Go Stable. "I think it makes the next six months interesting with a sprint to see who's Horse of the Year. I think we're squarely within that picture. He'll train at the Spa (Saratoga) and bring him back for the Haskell."

The massive colt is certainly living up to the black-type tradition of his family (Bill Denver/Equi-Photo)

The sophomore, who was bred in Kentucky by Emory Hamilton, is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Enchanted Rock, making him a half-brother to Grade 2 victor El Padrino.

Verrazano's second dam is Grade 1 victress Chic Shirine, whose other offspring include Grade 2 winners Waldoboro and Tara Roma. Other descendants of Chic Shirine include Grade 1 heroine Serra Lake, Grade 2 scorers Hungry Island and Al Khali, and Grade 3 winners Cappuchino, Somali Lemonade, Soaring Empire and Coal Play, the latter of whom ran second in the 2008 Haskell.

Verrazano's third dam is Grade 1 queen Too Chic, who reared 1991 champion older mare Queena. The latter is herself the dam of Grade 1 victor Brahms and Grade 3 vixen La Reina.