North Dakota finds longer form in Red Smith Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Shug McGaughey felt all along that stretching North Dakota out in distance would bring out the best in the 4-year-old colt.

In his first opportunity to run long, North Dakota finished a troubled fourth behind Red Knight in the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes going 1 1/2 miles last month at Keeneland. His next opportunity came in Saturday’s Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct, where North Dakota worked a cleaner trip under Jose Lezcano that resulted in a half-length victory over Red Knight in the 1 3/8-miles turf stakes at Aqueduct.

“I always felt like that’s what he wanted to, it was hard to find the right spot going far,” McGaughey said.

Ziyad, who finished a head in front of North Dakota when third in the Sycamore, finished a head behind Red Knight and was third in the Red Smith. Sadler’s Joy, last year’s Red Smith winner as the 6-5 favorite and this year’s 8-5 favorite, finished fourth.

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Doctor Mounty, also trained by McGaughey, finished fifth and was followed, in order, by Aquaphobia, Postulation, Real Factor, Tintoretto, Fame to Famous, and Changi.

The win was the fourth from 12 starts and first in a stakes for North Dakota, a son of Medaglia d’Oro owned and bred by Joe Allen.

All four of North Dakota’s wins have come this year, beginning with a maiden win at Tampa in March.

“When he broke his maiden at Tampa I didn’t think he’d be winning a Grade 3 this fall,” said McGaughey, who won the Red Smith for the fourth time.

“He’s got the pedigree; he naturally wants to run a distance of ground. Joe’s a patient guy, so I said just take your time with him. That’s what we’ve done and it worked out for him.”

In the Sycamore, North Dakota got bottled up along the inside and was beaten 2 1/4 lengths.

Lezcano, riding North Dakota for the first time, watched that replay and wanted to give him a clean trip Saturday.

Lezcano had North Dakota saving ground in a joint fifth position, just inside of Aquaphobia, while Real Factor, a 151-1 shot, sped off to a 10-length advantage running a half-mile in 48.79, six furlongs in 1:13.68, and 1:38.49.

Lezcano remained patient and, entering the far turn, followed Jose Ortiz on Red Knight, who began an early move. Ziyad, who had been a joint second early under Manny Franco, collared Real Factor and took a narrow lead inside the eighth pole. Red Knight was moving after him, but it was North Dakota who was moving better than those two and struck the front in the shadow of the wire.

“I watched his replay last time, he got a little bit in trouble, I wanted to give him a clean race the whole way and not lose momentum,” Lezcano said.

“Every pole was progress. As soon as he got to the three-eighths, he changed leads, I hit him a couple of times on the left side and he really took off and went on to win the race. He’s a very nice horse, he’s kind of one-paced. The longer he can go the better for him.”

North Dakota covered the 1 3/8 miles in 2:16.47 over a turf course listed firm and returned $19.40 to win.

Red Knight finished second in this race for the second straight year. Ortiz said he moved when everybody else started to move after the runaway leader, but ultimately felt his horse was just second-best.

“I think I had a very good trip, I passed the winner going to the three-eighths pole and then he came outside and won the race,” Ortiz said. “Good trip, no complaints.”

Though he finished fourth, Sadler’s Joy came with his typical late run and was beaten 1 1/4 lengths.

“We had a good trip, he’s always there, today we just needed a little more ground,” trainer Tom Albertrani said.