ESPN.com - Triple Crown 2000 - Barn notes: FuPeg acts up again

Barn notes: FuPeg acts up again
By Mike Diegnan
ABC Sports Online

BALTIMORE -- If he wasn't the Kentucky Derby champion and the 3-5 favorite for Saturday's Preakness Stakes, maybe it wouldn't be such a story.

But on Thursday morning, Fusaichi Pegasus was at it again, showing he's the real boss. The 3-year-old bay colt spent his morning practice doing what he wanted. Not that the $4 million horse wasn't the talk of town because of his ability, but his antics again became the story of the day.


	Trainer Neil Drysdale is surrounded by media outside of Barn 7 at Pimlico.

"He trotted and then did a half-canter," said trainer Neil Drysdale. "He was so busy looking at everything. It was his first day. He's a character. Tomorrow, he'll do a more serious workout."

Pegasus, who arrived at Pimlico on Wednesday, is staying in Barn 7, far away from the other horses for the weekend's race.

"It's nice and quiet. Just a few shotguns," Drysdale joked.

While some were concerned with his actions on Thursday, Drysdale appeared to be in good spirits.

"He wants to see what's going on. He stopped a couple of times," Drysdale said. "He can do all sorts of things. We didn't intend to do anything real serious today."

Drysdale does not anticipate any issues on Saturday, and was going to school the horse prior to Thursday's races.

Nonetheless, other trainers are still concerned.

"It has to come into play in everybody's mind to watch that horse be so reluctant to do some things," said Snuck In's trainer Steve Asmussen. "It has nothing to do with our preparation or anything. We've all been to the races. On his day, he's the man. He proved it. It's another race.

"The thing about horse racing, what you did yesterday does not give you a head start. You have to do it again. You have to beat him again. I think he's a special horse, there's no doubt about it."

In fact, he's such a special horse that his owner, Fusao Sekiguchi, has decided not to make the trip to Pimlico. Is it out of confidence? Not even Drysdale knows, since the two only communicate minimally via fax machines. Nevertheless, Preakness media officials are expecting up to 12 Asian journalists to attend the race.

Red Bullet ready to go
Count Joe Orseno among those that are ready for the challenge that Fusaichi Pegasus provides.

On Thursday morning, his Red Bullet galloped, running a mile in 1:58, including 55 seconds for the second half.

"He was looking to do more," Orseno said of the second favorite, who opened at 9-2 and is positioned in the four-hole.

The New York-based trainer is talking the game: He is not settling for second.

"I'm here to win," said Orseno, who makes his Triple Crown debut Saturday. "I don't feel the pressure of having to beat one horse. My pressure is I'm trying to win the Preakness. I'm not worried about one horse; I have to worry about all seven in there.

	“	The sport definitely needs a hero. I don't see why Red Bullet can't be the hero. Why does it have to be Fusaichi Pegasus? ”
		— Trainer Joe Orseno

"Everybody thinks that they have a chance; otherwise, they wouldn't be in there. If they are running for second money, I think that would be a mistake. You can't just throw the towel in and say, 'Here's the Preakness winner and he's going win the Belmont and he's going to win the Breeder's Cup. I don't see that. All horses are vulnerable.

"Anybody can beat another horse on a given day. It's like the NFL, the worst team can beat the best team."

Earlier, Orseno stated that he wanted another shot at Fusaichi Pegasus after losing in the Wood Memorial. If he can pull off the upset, it would disappoint fans looking for a Triple Crown champion, but Orseno isn't looking to make enemies.

"I don't want the whole world mad at me," he said. "I am just trying to win the Preakness. If there is not a Triple Crown winner, so be it. We'll try again next year."

Not playing for second
Orseno's sentiments are commonplace around the track. Few are ready to concede the race to FuPeg.

"Our being here doesn't have anything to do with whether he is running or isn't running or how he looked in the Derby," Asmussen said. "It is having a quality 3-year-old that has made a half-million and finding out how he stacks up because of all the options that follow this race."

"We're all here to win and beat a good horse," added Captain Steve's owner, Mike Pegram.

All in the family
The Asmussen family embodies a successful horse racing operation.

Keith Asmussen was a jockey and passed that love on to his sons, Steve and Brian.

At the age of 5, Steve began walking horses for Keith and his mother, Marilyn.

By 16, Steve was a professional jockey. The South Dakota native rode for three years before retiring in 1984. Steve stayed in the business and now is one of the top trainers in the business, earning more than $4 million in 1999.

Among those that keep an eye on his stable: Keith. His father now works for him, galloping and training all of the approximately 150 horses at El Primero (Texas).

With Snuck In opening at 12-1, Steve is looking for a victory in his Triple Crown debut with another Asmussen on the mount. He will turn the reigns over to the other Asmussen connection, Brian, who earned the moniker Cash from his father. Cash has spent most of his professional riding career in France, where he has been one of the most successful jockeys.

"He knows what I want to do with a lot of my horses," Steve said. "We have always had that relationship. He's a jockey. I'm a trainer. If we have the right horse, let's see what we can do with it. It's a great opportunity for us. It's been a lot of fun. It's definitely something that we will -- regardless of how he rides and I train -- that we will remember for a long time."

They said it
Joe Orseno on whether the sport needs a Triple Crown winner: "The sport definitely needs a hero. I don't see why Red Bullet can't be the hero. Why does it have to be Fusaichi Pegasus?"

Drysdale on his current schedule: "I'm training just one horse. Actually two, also a bodyguard."

Mike Pegram on what he does to prepare for a race: "All I have to do is pop a beer and watch. He [trainer Bob Baffert] does all the work."