Victory in a graded stakes race had eluded Elisabeth Alexander's three-year-old Magna Graduate, but the son of Honor Grades acquitted himself nicely on Friday at the Meadowlands by winning the Pegasus Handicap (G3) by 1 1/4 lengths.

Magna Graduate kept close to the leaders on the inside and moved to within one length of pacesetter Tani Maru through six furlongs. Engaging that rival near the quarter pole, Magna Graduate took the lead and held a half-length advantage in early stretch before kicking clear in the final strides, finishing the 1 1/8-mile contest in 1:47.47 over a fast track.

In his previous two starts—the West Virginia Derby (G3) on August 14 at Mountaineer Race Track and the Ohio Derby (G2) on July 2 at Thistledown—Magna Graduate turned in runner-up finishes.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Magna Graduate has won four of 13 starts and has earned $619,082. The colt was bred by Nicole Zitani and Ramon Rangel and is out of the Fast Play mare Peacock Alley.

Please see chart courtesy of Equibase at http://www.equibase.com.