Shug enlists Irad to get it right with Deuteronomy
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After a productive fall and winter in Tampa followed by a freshening, the well-bred Deuteronomy looks to continue his journey to potential stakes action later this summer when he runs in a second-level allowance that serves as the feature on Aqueduct’s nine-race Sunday card.
This 1 1/16-mile turf race is essentially the 14th race from the June 7 Belmont Stakes card at Saratoga that was rained off the turf, prompting 12 scratches. Six of the nine entrants in this field were in that race, which at Saratoga carried a purse of $110,000. Sunday, the purse is $88,000.
Deuteronomy, a son of Kitten’s Joy out of the three-time graded stakes-winning mare Hit It Rich, has two wins and two seconds in four starts on turf, which followed a last-place finish in an off-the-turf maiden race a year ago at Colonial Downs.
Trained by Shug McGaughey for owner/breeder Stuart Janney III, Deuteronomy won a maiden race and a first-level allowance at Tampa before finishing second as the 3-2 favorite in a condition similar to this on Feb. 15.
“That race he was second, he was probably best,” McGaughey said. “He didn’t get the best of rides.”
Deuteronomy was behind horses and had altered course in the stretch and couldn’t run down Card Trick. who has gotten the jump on him. While this race looks to be more difficult than the fields Deuteronomy was facing in Tampa, it does not seem to have much speed. McGaughey is turning to Irad Ortiz Jr. to work out a trip.
“I think he can be a little closer, where he’s supposed to be,” McGaughey said. “Irad will figure it out. He’s been training really, really well. I’m looking forward to running him.”
One horse who was not entered in this race for June 7 but who is in Sunday is Move to Gold, a stakes-winning son of Twirling Candy trained by Chad Brown who has not been out in almost a year. Move to Gold won the Awad Stakes as a maiden here in October 2023. In three starts last year, he finished third in the Columbia Stakes at Tampa and was beaten a head in the Jersey Derby at Monmouth before finishing third behind Neat and Deterministic in the Grade 3 Manila on June 29.
Neat came out of the Manila to win the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Deterministic has since won four stakes, including the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan last Sunday.
Move to Gold, who gets Lasix for the first time, will be coupled in the wagering with Jurisprudence, who rallied from 12 lengths back to win his debut at Laurel Park by a neck on April 26. Flavien Prat rides Jurisprudence, while Manny Franco rides Move to Gold.
Summer in Adriane overcame a modest pace to rally from last when winning a one-mile allowance at Keeneland at 46-1 on April 9 for trainer Mike Maker, who also sends out Fuerteventura.
Danny Gargan has an uncoupled pair of closers in Ramblin’ Wreck, who has not been out since February, and Landman Friday, coming off a maiden win at Gulfstream in February.
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