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Cauthen Watches Fusaichi's Triple Crown Challenge

© john mcquiston

"He should win the Preakness handily."

Those are the words of Steve Cauthen describing Fusaichi Pegasus as the winner of the Kentucky Derby takes the next stride toward a possible Triple Crown.

If the Fusao Sekiguchi owned colt, whose name loosely translates to "Fusao's number one flying horse," can win both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, he would become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the Triple Crown.

It was an 18-year old Cauthen aboard as Affirmed outdueled Alydar in each of the three legs of the Triple Crown. He doesn't mind at all the idea that he could lose the title of last man to ride a Triple Crown winner. "It would be great for the sport," he says.

Cauthen now owns a horse farm in northern Kentucky where he usually watches the Kentucky Derby from the comfort of his living room. "You can see a lot more of the race from there," he says. But he did make the 80 mile trip to Louisville to see this year's Derby in person. "I got to go in the Jock's room and visit my old friends so it was a fun time."

He came away impressed with Fusaichi Pegasus, who became the first favorite to win the race since Spectacular Bid in 1979, liking the ease with which he ran though the field to win. "It was a lot easier than the length and a half (margin of victory over Aptitude) would tell you," he says.

"It's a matter of whether he can stay a mile and a half," Cauthen says of Fusaichi Pegasus' chances in the Belmont, the last and longest of the three.

Just 40, Cauthen could still be riding but tired of fighting to keep his weight low enough to compete, typically 110-115 lbs. He retired in 1993. "My natural weight is 135 to 140 pounds," he says.

He was speaking at a news conference to announce he will ride in a charity race May 21 in Lexington, KY. Each rider in that one will carry 165 pounds. Asked if this race might give him the bug to compete again he said, "If I can race at 165 pounds, it will! I'd still be out there if it weren't for the weight."

So he watches with interest as Kent Desormeaux tries to match the feat he pulled off 22 years ago. Desormeaux came close in 1998 aboard Real Quiet who won the Derby and Preakness before Victory Gallop denied him the Triple Crown by inches in the Belmont. Cauthen thinks Desormeax could have the right horse this year.