Civil Union ships to Florida, will race next year at 6

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Civil Union, the Grade 1 Flower Bowl winner who finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, shipped to South Florida on Friday and will get a rest before preparing for a 6-year-old campaign in 2021, trainer Shug McGaughey said.

“Our plans are to have a good campaign with her next year; where that starts I’m not sure yet,” said McGaughey, who trains Civil Union for owner/breeder Joe Allen.

Civil Union, a daughter of War Front, reeled off four consecutive victories from June through October, capped by a one-length victory in the Flower Bowl at Belmont Park. Civil Union was beaten only 1 3/4 lengths by winner Audarya in the Breeders’ Cup.

“She got checked pretty good and had to go around,” McGaughey said. “When she had to go around the race was over with, but I thought she made a good account of herself.”

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Though she’ll be 6, Civil Union has only had nine races.

Meanwhile, McGaughey said that Ten for Ten, second as the favorite in the Nashua Stakes last Sunday, will run back in the Grade 2 Remsen here on Dec. 5.

He’s not sure if Cafe Society, a well-beaten third in the Tempted Stakes behind Malathaat, would run back in the Demoiselle.

“She never did get in the flow of the race, so I’m just going to have to wait and see how she does the next three weeks or a month,” McGaughey said.