Rain could spoil McGaughey-Clement clash with Integration, Carson's Run
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Trainers Shug McGaughey and Miguel Clement landed on the same spot Thursday at Aqueduct to try and reverse the fortunes of their millionaire graded stakes-winning turf horses Integration and Carson’s Run. Now, it’s a matter if Mother Nature will cooperate.
Integration and Carson’s Run are two of five horses entered for turf in Thursday’s conditioned allowance/optional-claiming feature which is scheduled for 1 3/16 miles on the outer turf course.
There is a 70 percent chance of rain both Wednesday and Thursday so it’s a little worrisome how many of the four grass races scheduled on the eight-race card will remain on turf.
Integration is winless in six starts since he won the Grade 2 Red Smith at Aqueduct in November 2024, his second win in as many starts over the Aqueduct turf. He does have three seconds and two thirds in those six starts. Integration is coming off a third-place finish in an allowance at Keeneland run at 1 1/16 miles, a distance that was likely too short for him.
“He’s better going a little farther but I was disappointed he didn’t finish better than he did,” McGaughey said. “I was really surprised to tell you the truth.”
McGaughey is confident Integration will handle turf with give in the ground, but he likely wouldn’t run Integration should the race come off the turf.
Carson’s Run won his maiden at first asking in July 2023 at Saratoga and has run in 12 consecutive stakes since, winning four of them. He won the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby and Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational in 2024, but is winless in his last four starts.
Carson’s Run came off a near 10-month layoff in the one-mile Appleton Stakes on March 28 at Gulfstream Park where he finished sixth of seven.
“The race was completely against us, they went 24 and three going a mile at Gulfstream and anybody who watches Gulfstream knows that is an absolute pedestrian crawl,” Clement said. “Sure enough, they sprinted home. It was too short for him and he was too short.
“All those factors were against him but I think the prep served its purpose,” Clement added. “He’s tighter and I expect a much improved performance.”
A Bourbon for Toby, trained by Tom Morley, came off a five-month layoff to win a first-level allowance going 1 1/8 miles on April 3. Risk Tolerance, trained by Chad Brown, will run longer than he ever has in his six-race career. Big Blue Line is not designated main-track only but he is 0 for 7 on turf.
Should the race be forced to the main track, Dreamlike, for Linda Rice, becomes the horse to beat. Dr. Kraft is also entered to run only on the main track.
McGaughey and Clement square off again in race 3, a first-level allowance for males going 1 3/8 miles on the inner turf course. McGaughey sends out Likeness, who comes off a maiden win going 1 1/8 miles on synthetic. Clement brings Bettrluckythangood back from an 8 1/2-month layoff while sending out I Am I Said for his U.S. debut off an 11-month layoff.
Likeness went winless in five tries on turf before getting on synthetic April 4.
“He’s a horse that needed some time, needed some racing,” McGaughey said of Likeness. “He’s a big horse and I could see improvement as we were going along. I didn’t know what to expect on Tapeta. I think he wants to run farther, which he’s going to get Thursday. I think he’s got a little bit of a future.”
Flavien Prat rides Likeness.
Bettrluckythangood, a New York-bred, hasn’t raced since he finished second to Rhetorical in the West Point for New York-breds last Aug. 24.
“Bettrluckythangood is doing well, an old veteran, he’s sound, moving great, I do think he can handle the distance,” Clement said. “The one time he tried the distance, he lacked a little racing luck in the stretch. I’ve always been tempted to try him longer.”
Clement said I Am I Said worked well on the turf at Saratoga last year but he didn’t get a chance to run him owing to a minor setback.
Mutaawid, trained by Mike Maker, is 2 for 2 at Aqueduct with victories at 1 1/2 miles and 1 3/16 miles.
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