Baby Vino dominates Pegasus, earns Haskell berth at Monmouth Park

Baby Vino did more than win the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park. He turned the final local Haskell prep into a statement, drawing away by 10 3/4 lengths in 1:44.36 for 1 1/16 miles and earning a free entry and starter fees into the Grade 1 Haskell on July 18.

The race set up exactly the way a colt with tactical speed and a finishing kick wants it to. Paco Lopez kept Baby Vino tucked behind early pressure from National Charter and Schoolyardsuperman, then angled outside and accelerated away from the field. The pace was honest enough to ask a question, but Baby Vino answered with a run that was more than just visually impressive. In a compact Pegasus field, he separated from the pack so decisively that the margin matched the impression.

That matters because Monmouth has made the Pegasus the last local steppingstone to its signature race, and the top two finishers got the Haskell perks that keep a colt on the main summer stage. Schoolyardsuperman also picked up a Haskell berth, but Baby Vino was the one who looked like he might have moved from promising 3-year-old to legitimate summer player. He had only broken his maiden in his previous start at Oaklawn Park on May 1, yet his progression had already been pointing this way, with better figures and better finishes every time out.

The pedigree fits the move forward. Equibase lists Baby Vino as a Kentucky-bred colt foaled April 20, 2023, by Vino Rosso out of Discreetly Grand by Discreetly Mine. He runs for Cosmo Stables, is trained by Lindsay Schultz and has been handled by Lopez throughout the Pegasus run. Entering the race, he owned a record of six starts, two wins, two seconds and one third, with career earnings of $194,916. Schultz had already been looking for more from him as the distances stretched out, and the Pegasus offered the clearest evidence yet that longer trips could be his friend.

The bigger picture is the Haskell Day stage he just forced his way onto. Monmouth’s July 18 card will anchor a six-stakes program carrying $5.85 million in purses, with the Pegasus serving as the final local prep and the Haskell as the centerpiece. Last year’s Haskell Day drew 41,876 fans and produced an all-sources handle of $21,999,963, a reminder that Monmouth’s summer centerpiece is as much a business event as a sporting one. With East Avenue, Gimme a Nother and Program Trading also winning stakes on Haskell Preview Day, Baby Vino’s romp fit into a high-end afternoon. It was the kind of performance that can travel beyond Monmouth and put bigger names on alert.