McGaughey not rushing Change of Command

Trainer Shug McGaughey does not appear in a hurry to run impressive 2-year-old maiden winner Change of Command in a stakes race.

Change of Command, a 6 1/2-length winner of a seven-furlong maiden race on Sunday at Gulfstream, will likely make his next start in an allowance race, McGaughey said.

Change of Command, a son of Into Mischief who brought $1.05 million at auction, raced up close to the pace and drew clear while drifting out a tad to win handily. He ran seven furlongs in 1:25.02 and earned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I think he’s maturing a lot as we go along. I was impressed with him the other day, but I still think he’s got a ways to go to reach where he needs to be,” McGaughey said. “He’s going that way. He’s grown a lot, which I like seeing. He ran well, came back well. I’ll get together with [owner Don Adam]. Chances are we’ll run him in a one-other-than.”

Prior to his win Sunday, Change of Command had run three times. In his Aug. 25 debut at Saratoga, he finished fourth to Fierceness, who since came back to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. In his third start, on Nov. 4 at Aqueduct, Change of Command finished second to Sierra Leone, who came back to run a strong second, beaten a nose, in the Grade 2 Remsen.

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