Weekend Update 11-20-10

Hollywood Premier

Premier Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus – Squall Linda, by Summer Squall) remained un-defeated in the Hollywood Prevue and will be the likely favorite for next month’s Cash Call Futurity. The half brother to Norfolk Stakes (G-1) victor Street Hero wired the field by 1 ½ lengths, getting the seven furlongs in 1:22.78.

 

By Street Cry, Street Hero was injured and retired after his two year old season and never had a chance to prove himself at longer distances. Premier Pegasus has a more speed-oriented pedigree than his older half-brother. At stud, his sire Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus gets stakes winners up to 1 1/8 miles, however he does have six turf stakes winners at 1 ¼ miles.

Premier Pegasus receives stamina from his first three damsires, yet his dam Squall Linda was a stakes placed sprinter who won or placed in 11 of 17 starts. She is a half sister to the stakes warrior Kohen With a K, who won 10 of 59 starts as a turf sprinter. Squall Linda has inbreeding to Lavendula, who is Squall Linda’s fourth dam. Lavendula was a precocious sprinter and won three of nine starts at age two. Lavendula produced Source Sucree, Squall Linda’s third dam and a stakes winner at 11 furlongs. Source Sucree is a half sister to the stallion Ambiorix who won from a mile to 1 ½ miles. Ambiorix was bred to Source Sucree’s daughter Giff-Gaff, a ¾ sister to the brilliant chef – de – race Turn To. An interesting note - Turn- To the grandsire of Halo. Halo is the second damsire of Fusaichi Pegasus.

Summer Squall

Premier Pegasus damsire Summer Squall is an excellent broodmare sire and works well with the Mr. Prospector sire line. There are six graded stakes winners based upon the Mr. Prospector/Summer Squall bloodline cross. Of those, only Seeking The Best, a turf miler in Japan has Mr. Prospector in her second generation, similar to Premier Pegasus.

Premier Pegasus’ second damsire The Axe II raced for five years, winning 15 of 38 starts. He won from six to 13 furlongs on the turf and retired sound. Going back another generation, Premier Pegasus’ third damsire Ambiorix raced in France and won stakes races from a mile to 1 ½ miles.

Despite the stamina farther back in his pedigree, one must also take into account Premier Pegasus’ pace setting running style. He will likely be at his best up to 1 1/6 miles, but could carry his speed 1 1/8 miles if unpressured on the lead, especially if traveling over the lawn. Premier Pegasus should be able to get the distance of the 1 1/16 Cash Call Futurity, but a protracted speed duel could be his undoing.

 

Jackpot!

Gourmet Dinner - Photo: Coady

Since its inception, the victors of the Delta Jackpot have been sprinter/milers. This year isn’t an exception. Gourmet Dinner (Trippi - Potluck Dinner, Pentelicus) invaded from Florida and the In Reality Stakes runner-up was virtually ignored in the betting, going to the gate at 20-1. The bay colt tried blinkers for the first time and relaxed off of the pace. He rewarded his connections with a strong sustained move down the stretch getting 1 1/6 miles in 1:45.23.

Gourmet Dinner has speed top and bottom in his pedigree. His sire and damsire are both descended from Mr. Prospector, who in this case, is a brilliant speed influence. Additionally, inbreeding to In Reality also lends speed to Gourmet Dinner.

Trippi - Photo: Coglianese

Gourmet Dinner’s sire Trippi was a seven furlong specialist, Vosburgh (G-1) over More Than Ready, but he also outclassed his rivals in the 1 1/8 mile Flamingo Stakes. At stud, Trippi transfer speed to his offspring. He has nine stakes winners at a mile and three winners at 1 1/8 miles.

Gourmet Dinner’s damsire Pentelicus was a multiple listed stakes winner at six furlongs. His daughters produce mostly sprinter/milers, however Pentelicus is the damsire of the graded stakes warrior Awesome Gem and Mecke Daughter, a Grade 1 stakes winner in Puerto Rico. Both have won at 1 ¼ miles.

Trippi has 13 offspring out of Pentelicus mares with nine starters and six winners. Gourmet Dinner is the only stakes winner to date.

Gourmet Dinner’s dam Potluck Dinner was unplaced in her only start, but has shined in the breeding shed. All six of her foals to race are winners and are durable runners. Her first foal, I’mroyalymecke’d raced 55 times and was stakes placed. She also produced stakes winner Gaston A She’s a half sister to the sprint stakes winners Lady Gin, Sea Of Green, and her half sister Almost Aprom Queen is the dam of 2010 Oak Leaf Stakes (G-1) winner Rigoletta.

Gourmet Dinner’s mid-pack running style should enable him to get two turns, although 1 1/8 miles might be out of his scope against top stakes runners. According to his trainer Steven Standridge, Gourmet Dinner will point to the one mile Holy Bull Stakes in January at Gulfstream Park.