Smuggler redeems her dam

ELMONT, N.Y. - Smuggler did something her champion mother Inside Information could not 11 years ago, and helped fill one of the few vacancies on Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey's resume.

After stalking a strong pace from fourth position, Smuggler outfinished Spun Sugar through the lane to win Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 by a neck before 6,712 at steamy Belmont Park. It was two lengths back to favored Summerly in third.

Seeking the Ante, Lady Pegasus, and Winning Season completed the order of finish.

It was the first Mother Goose victory for McGaughey, who in 1994 watched in disgust as Inside Information, the 7-10 Mother Goose favorite, dueled through six furlongs in 1:08.60 before finishing third, 10 1/4 lengths behind Lakeway.

"That was a bittersweet day, that day," McGaughey said. "This is pretty exciting for me, having never won this race before. We've run in it a half a dozen times and been second and third. Last year, I thought I had Daydreaming set up pretty good, and she ran terrible. To be able to come back and get this makes me pretty happy."

It was an oddly run Mother Goose. Summerly, making her first start since winning the Kentucky Oaks seven weeks ago, was kept out in the six path by Jerry Bailey while running an opening quarter in 24.09 seconds. Meanwhile, Spun Sugar took a sharp left turn toward the gap where the chute and main track converge. Smuggler was behind Spun Sugar, and jockey Edgar Prado had to take up slightly at that point.

Spun Sugar, under Javier Castellano, advanced into the lead after a half-mile run in 46.47 and was on the rail while Summerly and Winning Season pursued. Prado swung Smuggler outside three wide for the stretch run, and she prevailed in a prolonged duel with Spun Sugar. Smuggler, a daughter of Unbridled, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.55 and returned $6.60.

Bailey said he kept Summerly way outside because "I didn't want her to get engaged and get aggressive early, because I know that she's not exactly at her best." Summerly missed six days of training because of quarantine restrictions placed on trainer Steve Asmussen's Churchill Downs barn in May.

Smuggler, owned by the Phipps Stable, and Spun Sugar are likely to meet again in the Coaching Club American Oaks on July 23.

* Salic Law ($3.90) passed pacesetting Muqbil in upper stretch and gradually drew clear to 2 1/4-length score in the $58,800 Awad, an overnight handicap for turf males that scratched down to a five-horse field. Under Castellano, Salic Law covered 1 3/8 miles in 2:13.14.

* Eibar Coa rode four winners on a Belmont card for the third time in the last seven racing days.