Spotlight Performances

SPOTLIGHT PERFORMANCES

JUNE 9, 2005

by James Scully

Last Thursday at Belmont Park, LADY PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus) captured her second consecutive start, moving easily to the lead on the far turn and coasting

to the wire for a 5 1/2-length score over first-level allowance rivals. A 3

3/4-length maiden winner going seven furlongs in her previous outing at

Churchill Downs, the Bobby

Frankel-trained three-year-old filly stretched out to 1 1/16 miles here and

displayed plenty of promise. Owned and bred by Stonerside, Lady Pegasus is out

four-time Grade 1 queen Nastique (Naskra) and is bred for both surfaces.

WINNER (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) was an impressive first-out winner over a

good-looking field of maiden special weight rivals on Sunday at Belmont,

stalking the pace until blowing past her rivals in upper stretch. She drew

nicely through the stretch to a 7 3/4-length decision, and the Phipps homebred

is out of Pennant Champion (Mr. Prospector), who is a daughter of champion

Personal Ensign. The Shug McGaughey-conditioned winner is one to watch for at

Saratoga.

FOLKORE (Tiznow) provided her freshman sire with his first winner when

disposing of her maiden special weight opponents in striking fashion on Friday

at Big Sandy, coming home very quickly to capture the five-furlong event by four

lengths. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Folklore ran a second faster (:57 4/5) than

male juvenile rivals going the same distance two races later on the card. She's

looks like a player in upcoming stakes.

KEEP ON PUNCHING (Silver Deputy) keeps on winning in Southern California,

taking his third straight race with a four-length victory over optional-claiming

rivals at Hollywood Park. The Anthony Saavedra charge broke his maiden in

mid-April at Santa Anita, then easily defeated first-level allowance rivals

before proving best in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile test. The four-year-old

earned a 103 BRIS Speed rating and hails from multiple stakes winner Amber Ryder

(Red Ryder), who is the dam of Grade 3 victor Goldseeker Bud (Smile) and Annasan

(Corporate Report), the dam of Canadian champion three-year-old A Bit o'Gold

(Gold Fever).

PRINCESS EZRA (GB) (Rahy), the first foal from 1999 Alcibiades S. (G2) winner

Scratch Pad (Notebook), broke her maiden in front-running fashion on Sunday at

Hollywood, easily holding her rivals at bay for a one-length triumph in the 1

1/16-mile grassy maiden special weight affair. Richard Mandella trains the

three-year-old filly, who may continue to show more on the turf.

PULPIT EXCHANGE (Pulpit) represented his hot sire with an impressive

performance at Churchill Downs on Saturday, closing from just off the pace for a

5 1/4-length tally in this seven-furlong maiden special weight event. Out of

Grade 3 winner Silent Greeting (Secret Hello), the three-year-old colt made

short work of his rivals after finishing second in his career bow previously.

Elliott Walden trains the chestnut.