Allen Stable’s homebred Civil Union extended her streak to four wins with a head score in Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Flower Bowl Invitational.
The 5-year-old War Front grass specialist entered the 10-furlong Widener turf test for fillies and mares on a winning run of form that launched in a June 21 allowance tilt at Belmont and continued through scores in the 12-furlong River Memories on July 12 at Belmont and the 11-furlong Grade 2 Glens Falls at Saratoga.
McGaughey said he was pleased with the rallying effort Saturday under Joel Rosario from post 3 which garnered a 97 Beyer Speed Figure and a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on November 7.
“I was a little surprised we were back where we were,” said McGaughey. “I thought we’d break and have position, but we had an inside post and Joel elected to save ground and made a good move. I was very pleased with her. She came out of the race just fine.”
McGaughey said W.S. Farish homebred Code of Honor, a last-out second to Complexity in the Grade 2 Kelso, will point to either the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile for 3-year-olds and up on December 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack or the Grade 1, $500,000 Clark, a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up on November 27 at Churchill Downs.
“He’s doing good. We’ll point him to the Clark in Louisville or the Cigar Mile here,” said McGaughey.
Last year, the Noble Mission chestnut captured the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers at Saratoga en route to being elevated to victory in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont in a four-win sophomore season that also included a score in the Grade 3 Dwyer on Big Sandy.
Code of Honor owns a record of 4-1-1-1 in 2020 which includes a win in the Grade 3 Westchester on a muddy Belmont track in June.
Phipps Stable homebred Breaking the Rules worked five-eighths in 1:01.06 Sunday morning on the inner turf in preparation for the Grade 2 Knickerbocker, a nine-furlong turf test for 3-year-olds and upward which was rescheduled from Monday to Sunday, October 18 due to expected heavy rainfall.
McGaughey said the extra week won’t be a negative for the 5-year-old graded-stakes placed War Front horse.
“He was ready to roll,” said McGaughey. “He went very good this morning.”
Emory Hamilton’s two-time allowance winner Hungry Kitten breezed a half-mile in 51.44 Sunday on the inner turf. The 4-year-old Kitten’s Joy filly, out of the multiple graded-stakes winner Hungry Island, was expected to target the Grade 3, $125,000 Dowager on October 18 at Keeneland but McGaughey said he’s now looking for other options.
“She worked fine,” said McGaughey. “I was planning to send her to Kentucky but I’m going to look for something else.”
Courtlandt Farm homebred Americanus, a 3-year-old War Front colt, joined McGaughey’s barn this summer after posting a record of 2-1-1 in five dirt starts for former conditioner Mark Hennig.
A debut winner in September 2019 at Belmont, Americanus notched a seven-furlong allowance win in February at Gulfstream Park ahead of a prominent third in the 1 1/16-mile Unbridled at the Hallandale Beach oval.
McGaughey has breezed Americanus on both dirt and turf at Belmont, including a half-mile Sunday in 50 flat on the inner turf, as he prepares the colt for an allowance start.
“I’m having a hard time getting a read on him,” said McGaughey. “He seems to be doing what he does on the grass easy, but he’s never run on it before. I’ll probably try him on the dirt first and go to the grass if we need to.”
Chiefswood Stables’ homebred Forty Zip, a 3-year-old City Zip filly, earned a career-best 75 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating by a nose in a nine-furlong maiden special weight on the Belmont turf on September 27.
McGaughey said the Ontario-bred Forty Zip is likely to make her next start in the $250,000 Wonder Where, a 10-furlong turf test for Canadian-bred sophomore fillies on October 31 at Woodbine Racetrack.
