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E N Q U I R E R S P O R T S C O V E R A G
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Sunday, May 3, 1998 BY MARK R. CHELLGREN
He still managed to learn enough to hook up with a hot trainer, buy a newly minted millionaire horse at bargain prices and make it to the winner's circle at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.
Mr. Pegram grew up in southern Indiana, a short ride to Ellis Park, near Henderson, Ky., where he got the racing bug.
His first entry in the business was with quarter horses, which he bought with his father in the late 1970s.
His fortune made with 21 McDonald's franchises financed his passion.
He hooked up with Bob Baffert in 1988. They were partners in owning Thirty Slews, a multiple stakes winner and the 1992 Breeders' Cup Sprint champion.
Mr. Pegram now has about 20 horses in training with Mr. Baffert. "You know when you have instant chemistry," Mr. Pegram said. Mr. Baffert captured the thoroughbred racing world in 1997 with Silver Charm.
Going into the 1998 Derby, Mr. Baffert had Indian Charlie, a winner of three of three this year and the 5-2 favorite.
But Mr. Baffert gave lip service to Real Quiet, another of his charges, who had a more modest record of two wins in 12 outings and 0-3 this year.
Real Quiet had a run in him, Mr. Baffert would say.
Mr. Pegram, who invited 50 friends to accompany him to the races Saturday, watched the race in the stands on television.
When Real Quiet turned on his run at the top of the long Churchill Downs stretch, somebody jumped in front of Mr. Pegram.
"I said, "Get out of the way. I've got a horse coming,' " Mr. Pegram recalled.
Then bedlam broke out. Mr. Pegram corralled his friends and actually delayed the trophy ceremony in the winner's circle.
"I wasn't going to take that picture without my friends," Mr. Pegram said.
"That's what horse racing's about," he said.
"You've got the fastest horses and your friends with you and you're on top of the world. And I'm on top of the world right now."
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• Victory Gallop 13.00 7.60 • Indian Charlie 4.20 • Halory Hunter • Cape Town • Parade Ground • Hanuman Highway • Favorite Trick • Nationalore • Old Trieste • Chilito • Robinwould • Artax • Rock and Roll • Basic Trainee
Off 5:29. Time 2:02.38.
• 'Comeback Kent' • Sullivan column • Pitino's horse 4th • 'Trick' wears out • Lacombe diary • Notebook • The celebrities • The infield • Associated Press coverage |
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