SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, June 18, 2010--The second half of the three-year-old season begins this afternoon at Monmouth Park with the running of the mile and a sixteenth Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes.

It has attracted only a field of six, but two of these exit the Triple Crown series with an eye toward racing’s second season. Without an overwhelming divisional leader, the three-year-old championship is very much up for grabs.

When last seen, the Monmouth based Schoolyard Dreams was beginning a move to menace the Preakness leaders but his rally was very short-lived and he faded badly, checking in ninth, in a poor performance.

“I was optimistic going into that race but he didn‘t run well…no excuses,” said trainer Derek Ryan, who’s being realistic when it comes to his horse’s current place in the division pecking order.

“What I do know is that he has to win the Pegasus to go to the Haskell. If he doesn’t, we’ll know where we stand.”

There is reason to believe that Schoolyard Dreams will run much better today. He did show improved early speed in the hot-paced Preakness and was training very well at Monmouth before shipping to Baltimore. His best performance figures compete here.

However, the deserving favorite and most probable winner is Preakness third Jackson Bend who proved in that gritty performance that he is worthy of inclusion among the division’s elite.

Prior to the Preakness, Jackson Bend was 12th in the Derby, suffering through a very difficult trip. Prior to that were game placings in the Wood Memorial, Fountain of Youth and Holy Bull, graded events all.

Jose Lezcano, regular rider of Nick Zito’s other sophomore hopeful, Derby runnerup and disappointing Belmont favorite Ice Box, will replace Mike Smith. Jackson Bend was beaten 3/4s of a length by divisional leading Lookin At Lucky and runnerup First Dude.

With this entry, it appears Zito is pointing the mighty mite toward the Haskell, it coming six weeks before the August 1 Grade 1, with Ice Box using Saratoga’s Jim Dandy as a prep for the Travers Stakes.

Of course, there’s nothing stopping Zito from running both Robert LaPenta horses in the Haskell en route to the “Midsummer Derby.” The Pegasus is the final leg of Monmouth’s 50-Cent Pick 5 with 15 takeout--and now with a $100,000 guaranteed pool.

This will not be the final prep opportunity for Haskell hopefuls wanting a race over the track. The traditional Haskell prep, the Long Branch, will be run July 3, three week‘s before Monmouth‘s signature event.

(See today’s Feature Race Analysis for a Pegasus Stakes betting strategy).

SPEAKING OF THE TRIPLE CROWN… 2009 version

I Want Revenge, morning line favorite for last year’s Kentucky Derby but scratched the morning of the race when an ankle injury that would later require surgery to repair ligament damage, worked seven furlongs yesterday for new trainer Rick Dutrow.

With Ramon Dominguez deputizing for regular rider Joe Talamo, I Want Revenge worked in company with two stablemates. After stumbling slightly at the start, the multiple stakes winner rallied wide and was timed seven furlongs in 1:27.27.

The only news the impressive, albeit trouble-plagued, winner of the 2009 Wood Memorial has made since was when original owner David Lanzman sued his partners, IEAH Stables, which subsequently purchased a half interest in the colt, for breach of contract.

After much back and forth, Lanzman eventually sold his remaining interest to IEAH which is now sole owner. IEAH Stables, of course, owned Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown which, of course, was trained by Dutrow.

I Want Revenge has been in steady training since April and is being pointed to the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap on July 4th weekend. “It seems like he’s ready,” said Dutrow following the work. “I’m trying to keep up with him. The horse keeps taking us, so we’re just trying to follow his lead.”

Should he return with the same ability demonstrated in the spring of his three-year-old year, he’ll be a great addition to the handicap division which, including the great fillies Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra, keeps getting deeper by the day. Quality Road, Blame, Rail Trip and, eventually, the three-year-olds, could make this a fall season to remember.