Double Debut Win

It's a wonderful and perhaps scary feeling as a young trainer orders the first entries of the new stable. Training can only take a horse so far, and sooner or later he or she will have to be tested in the racing ovals, and hopefully will be able to beat a few horses home.

One such stable is Pegasus Park from the United States of America. Like many new stables they started with two young hopefuls - a pair of unraced, but highly bred, two year old colts. Bold N' Honorable is the son of Bold N' Free and Sovereign Belle, and was bred by the dam's owner Jersey Shore. The other colt, Foxtrot, was bred by Red Wing Stables, a stable who has recently got out of the racing business, and is one of the few foals by Saddlers Wells and he is out of Bosra Sham. Both are brimming with potential, and this past week the owners/trainers at Pegasus Park sent them out to see what they were made of.

The son of sprinting champion Bold N' Free made his racing debut in the G3 Swynford Stakes, and ran near the front on the pack for the entire race, but couldn't catch the Bally Doyle colt O How Funny, and finished 2 lengths back in second place - finishing the 7 furlong sprint on dirt in 1:22.15 bringing home $12,250 to the young stable.

Seven days later, Pegasus Park sent out their Saddlers Wells colt in the UG Alcohol Go Easy Stakes in the 7.5 furlong test on firm turf. Foxtrot faced four other colts, Blushafter of Godolphin17, Royal Ruler from Thunder Lodge, Samurai Thunder trained at History's Own Stables, and Antietam Creek representing Whisperwood.

It didn't take long before the starter had these 5 young colts ready in the starting gate on this beautiful morning.

Samurai Thunder broke the fastest, but after a few short strides Blushafter took the early lead, with Antietam Creek and Foxtrot a length behind, with Royal Ruler sitting comfortable in 5th.

As they entered the turn, their positions had not changed, but the chestnut Foxtrot was starting to move up on the three leaders and was soon battling for third with Antietam Creek. Blushafter was sitting very comfortable with his short lead over Samurai Thunder. Royal Ruler was also starting to make his move at this point, moving up on the four colts ahead of him.

As they came around the long turn, Foxtrot had swung wide around Blushafter and Samurai Thunder and took the lead, looking for the finish line. Royal Ruler was also eating away at the margain, and had taken over fourth from the fading Antietam Creek.

With a furlong to go, Foxtrot held nearly a 2 length lead over Blushafter, but his jockey called to him once more, and he answered with a final drive. Who would finish first? But Royal Ruler, some 8 lengths back was moving with good speed down the stretch. Was his move too late?

It was Foxtrot, then it was Blushafter, the two chestnut colts were battling it out, changing leads with each stride. And it became clear that Royal Ruler would not catch the battling duo, but his gallant effort was not lost. But which young colt would win it? The Saddlers Wells colt or the Giant Causeway colt?

With a final surge in the last few feet (or meters if you prefer) Foxtrot managed to get his head in front of Blushafter and won by a neck with a finish time of 1:31.16. The game chestnut colt of Godolphin17 flashed under the wire with a time of 1:31.20. The late-charging Royal Ruler finished the 7.5 furlong test with 1:32.35, Samurai Thunder finished in 1:33.24, and Antietam Creek had a time of 1:36.82.


So, it was a fine week for Pegasus Park, a 1st week record of 2:1-1-0 with $36,250 in combined earnings. Not as good as the $300,000 four winners came home with, but Pegasus Park is off to a running start!

Congratulations Pegasus Park!