Fusaichi Pegasus Heads Meadowlands Cup Nominations

Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Fusaichi Pegasus highlights the list of 23 horses nominated to the $400,000 Meadowlands Cup Handicap (gr. II). The winner of Saturday's Jerome Handicap (gr. II), though, is also under consideration for the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) at Belmont Park. The 1 1/8-mile Meadowlands Cup, for 3-year-olds and up, will be run Oct. 7 at Meadowlands.

Other nominees include: Philip H. Iselin Handicap (gr. II) winner Rize; Pacific Classic (gr. I) winner Skimming; Vision and Verse, third in last year's renewal; North East Bound, winner of Friday night's Cliff Hanger Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Meadowland's turf course; 1999 Donn Handicap (gr. I) winner Puerto Madero; Valhol, who was disqualified from his win in the 1999 Arkansas Derby (gr. II); and Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) runner-up Catienus. Golden Missile is also nominated but is more likely for the Hawthorne Gold Cup.

"This year's nominations show the strength that the Meadowlands Cup has," said Meadowlands stakes coordinator Mike Melendez. "As always, I expect a real strong and competitive race."

The remaining nominees are: Badger Gold; Big Ten; Dancin Rahy; El Ballenzano; Forty One Carats; Ground Storm; Leave It To Beezer; Left Bank; Lord Sterling; Maracaibo; Mojave Moon; Talk's Cheap; Where's Taylor; and With Anticipation.