HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. put a punctuation mark on another memorable afternoon with a perfectly-timed move to get Cugino up in the final strides to take Saturday's $140,000 Tropical Park Derby. Cugino was up narrowly over the 40-1 Full Nelson and even-money Silent Heart. The victory Ortiz's fourth consecutive victory and fifth win on Saturday’s 11-race program at Gulfstream Park.
The red-hot Ortiz, who recorded four victories here Friday, was aboard Cugino for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile Tropical Park Derby. The late-striding son of Twirling Candy entered the final 3-year-old turf stakes of the local season off a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Hill Prince five weeks earlier at Aqueduct.
Ortiz positioned Cugino perfectly in midpack down the backstretch, about six lengths off the early pacesetter Fidelightcayut. Cugino continued to save ground while dropping back a couple of spots approaching the stretch, before angling out to commence his bid leaving the turn. He then responded to pressure and a series of left-hand sticks by Ortiz to finish full of run, finally over-taking Silent Heart in deep stretch while also holding safe Full Nelson by a neck at the wire.
Full Nelson, winless in four starts since capturing the Columbiana Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in early March, raced just behind Cugino for the opening six furlongs, came widest off the final turn, charged down the center of the course just outside the ultimate winner and fell just short with his bid. Silent Heart, who was slammed to even-money favoritism in the final flash of the tote, stalked the early leader, readily stuck his head in front entering the stretch, edged clear, but could not last.
Cugino, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey for West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig LLC, completed the distance over a firm course in 1:39.32 and paid $5.40.
“From the ten, we were both worried about the post,” said McGaughey. “But he got him into good position on the first turn. I liked the way he was able to sit there and wait. And when the hole opened, he really kicked. I was a little worried about it when he turned for home a little far back, but I knew he had a pretty good kick and that jock would have him where he wanted to be.”
McGaughey said he would have to talk to the owners before deciding if the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational here on Jan. 25 could be an option for Cugino to start the New Year.
“I have a couple of other older horses, Integration and Battle of Normandy, for that race so I might just give this horse a break and go from there,” McGaughey added.
Tropical Park Oaks
See You Around, beaten less than two lengths in the prestigious French Guineas last spring at Longchamp, won for the first time in the U.S. when closing out her 3-year-old campaign with a hard fought neck victory over the pacesetting In Our Time in the $140,000 Tropical Park Oaks.
See You Around joined trainer Christophe Clement’s barn shortly after finishing third behind Soprano in the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey Stakes at Deauville on August 15. The latter flattering the effort when shipping to Keeneland to finish second in the Grade 1 QEII Cup four weeks later. See You Around made her U.S. debut on Nov. 8 in the Grade 3 Pebbles at Aqueduct, turning in an even effort to finish sixth, beaten five lengths by the 18-1 No Mo Candy.
With Ortiz aboard for the first time, See You Around sat a perfect stalking trip, while saving ground from the outset of the 1 1/16-mile Tropical Oaks. Under a strong hold and appearing full of run approaching the stretch, and with Ortiz waiting for just the right moment to pull the switch, See You Around bided her time before responding readily to some vigorous urging to run down In Our Time in the shadow of the wire.
In Our Time, winner of the Cellars Shiraz Stakes in her previous start, was bet from a tepid 5/2 favorite to 6/5 in the final flash of the tote. She sprinted clear to control the pace, as expected, settled into the stretch with a seemingly comfortable advantage, but could not withstand the winner’s closing surge. De Regreso raced forwardly from the outset but lacked the necessary closing response, finishing another 2 3/4 lengths back in third.
In Our Time, an Irish bred daughter of Siyouni owned by Cotton House Racing, completed the distance in 1:39.49 seconds and returned a seemingly generous $11.20 as a result of all the money that came in at the last moment on the favorite.
“We were a touch disappointed with the Pebbles. The trip and the situation that day probably compromised our chances a little bit from day one,” Clement’s son and assistant Miguel Clement said. “She was a very good filly in France, and the same has been true here. She was able to put it all together today. Irad Ortiz is riding remarkably at the moment. He came with a game plan and we agreed to follow the heavy favorite. There was not much early pace on paper. It was a dream trip and we’re just very lucky to get it done.”
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