Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus pensioned

Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus has been pensioned from stallion duty at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

The 23-year-old, who covered two mares this year, according to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred, was the final active stallion by the great Mr. Prospector in Kentucky. His remaining active sons in North America, according to the Report of Mares Bred, are Greatness in Florida, Sasha’s Prospect in Oklahoma, Shadow Hawk in Nebraska, and Cape Canaveral in Alberta, while his champion son Aldebaran stands in Japan.

Fusaichi Pegasus, bred by Arthur Hancock III and Stonerside, was a $4 million purchase by Fusao Sekiguchi at the 1998 Keeneland July yearling sale. He went on to win six of nine starts, all in the care of trainer Neil Drysdale. Victories in the Grade 2 San Felipe and Grade 2 Wood Memorial made him the favorite for the 2000 Kentucky Derby, which he won by 1 1/2 lengths. He finished second in the Preakness Stakes, later won the Grade 2 Jerome Handicap off a layoff, and finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in his career finale.

As a stallion, Fusaichi Pegasus is represented by 86 stakes winners, including 30 graded/group stakes winners worldwide, and has progeny earnings of more than $110 million. He is the sire of Australian champion Haradasun, a multiple Group 1 winner on his native continent and of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting in England. Fusaichi Pegasus is also the sire of Chilean champion Bronzo, Puerto Rican champion Fusaichiswonderful, Peruvian champion Ole Pegasus, and Mexican champions Ketal and Vistoso.

In the U.S., Fusaichi Pegasus’s top runners include Grade 1 winner and classic sire Roman Ruler, as well as Grade 1 winners Bandini and Champ Pegasus.