Cugino noses Common Defense in Red Smith Stakes
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Jockey Flavien Prat’s record-setting afternoon Sunday at the Belmont meet at Aqueduct included a nose win aboard Cugino in the richest race on the card, the Grade 2, $250,000 Red Smith.
It was the sixth win on the afternoon for Prat, who would go on to win seven races, setting a new standard for jockey wins on a card at New York Racing Association meets.
Cugino ($4.30) gave his trainer, Shug McGaughey, a sixth win in the Red Smith when he tracked the pace and battled to the wire while covering the 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:17.13.
“I was very happy with my trip - I was behind [Common Defense],” Prat told the NYRA press office. [Cugino has] been running short, so the distance could have been a question mark and I thought it could be better if we turned it into a sprint and that's what happened. It was a good run."
Cugino sat just off Common Defense, who set fractions of 24.31 seconds for the opening quarter, 50.90 for the half-mile, 1:17.01 for six furlongs and 1:41.64 for the mile. Cugino went after the leader in the stretch and fought for the win one start after winning at a mile in the Red Bank at Monmouth Park.
It was another two lengths back in third to Desvio.
Cugino has now won 6 of 13 starts for earnings of $761,410. He was winning the fourth stakes race of his career in the Red Smith. Cugino is a son of Twirling Candy who races for West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig.
The Red Smith was the second stakes win Prat had on the card as he took the Grade 3, $175,000 Forty Niner with Bishops Bay earlier Sunday.
There were four stakes on the final card of the meet. In the Grade 3, $175,000 Bold Ruler, Damon’s Mound rallied to catch pacesetter Buccherino for a half-length win. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to Full Moon Madness.
Damon’s Mound ($9) was content to stalk the pace in third as Buccherino took the field through fractions of 22.32 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.38 for the half-mile. The winner covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.67.
Junior Alvarado was aboard Damon’s Mound for trainer Bill Mott.
Damon’s Mound is a son of Girvin who races for his breeder, Cliff Love, and Michele Love. He was winning the fifth stakes race of his career and he improved his career totals to 6 for 17 for earnings of $877,970.
Aqueduct’s fall meet begins Thursday.
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