Timeline's reputation obviously preceded him when entries were taken for the Betfair.com Pegasus Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park.
A total of just four rivals signed on to take on the unbeaten talent out of trainer Chad Brown's barn, leaving the son of Hard Spun as the 1-5 morning-line favorite to remain unblemished when the 1 1/16-mile test goes to post June 18.
Unraced as a juvenile after he was purchased by Woodford Racing for $500,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale, Timeline has made a significant impression since his debut at Gulfstream Park March 4. In his maiden win that day, he advanced from mid-pack in the field of 13 to prevail by a half-length going seven furlongs. When stretched out to one mile a month later at Aqueduct Racetrack, the chestnut colt threw himself on the radar of sophomores to watch when he stalked and pounced his way to a 13 1/2 length victory over a sealed, sloppy track.
The more Brown kept testing the limits of what Timeline could do, the more the colt responded. In his first graded stakes try, the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park May 13, the talented runner again raced just off the leader before kicking on as he pleased en route to a 3 1/2-length win over a bunch that included Master Plan, third in the UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2).
BALAN: Timeline Continues Ascent With Peter Pan Victory
"The impressive thing about the horse is how many runs you can make with him and he's there for you," Brown said of Timeline after the Peter Pan.
With a start in the July 30 Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) as a summer goal, Brown wanted to get Timeline some two-turn experience over the track. As the only graded winner in the Pegasus field, he has a class edge on paper for a race that should provide him the fitness and experience his connections are seeking.
Talk Logistics will try to have something to say about that, as he represents the local barn of trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. The son of High Cotton flirted with the Triple Crown trail this season, when he ran fourth in both the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (G2) and Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), and most recently finished second in an optional-claiming allowance test at Monmouth May 13.
"He's been doing excellent," Plesa said. "He went against the big boys all winter and had a bad trip last time out. We gave him a little breather and a stamina work before this one and he looks ready to go."
Monmouth Park, Sunday, June 18, 2017, Race 10Entries: Betfair.com Pegasus S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Greek Prince (FL) Nik Juarez 116 Georgia D. Andreadakis 30/1 2 2Timeline (KY) Javier Castellano 123 Chad C. Brown 1/5 3 3Glory Stars (FL) Mychel J. Sanchez 116 Michael M. Moore 20/1 4 4Honor the Fleet (KY) Joe Bravo 116 Louis Albertrani 9/2 5 5Talk Logistics (FL) Paco Lopez 116 Edward Plesa, Jr. 4/1
