McGaughey skips Breeders’ Cup with Alandra, points to G2 Demoiselle
Press Release NYRA
Photo Credit: NYRA
Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who is slated to saddle Code of Honor for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, will not have Alandra accompany the dual Grade 1 winner on the plane ride to California and will skip the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Instead, he is targeting the Grade 2, $300,000 Demoiselle on December 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack for the daughter of Blame.
Owned by Helen C. Alexander and Helen K. Groves, Alandra was third as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland last out after an impressive debut graduation on September 1 at Saratoga.
“We plan on going to the Demoiselle. She’s been doing well,” McGaughey said. McGaughey will be seeking a second triumph in the 1 1/8-mile event for 2-year-old fillies after winning the 2006 edition with Boca Grande.
A Kentucky homebred, Alandra is out of the graded stakes winning A.P. Indy broodmare Alteese who is out of Grade 1 winner Aldiza.
McGaughey was pleased with Code of Honor’s October 21 breeze on the Belmont main where he covered five furlongs in 1:00.20.
“I thought his work was excellent. It was just what I asked for,” said McGaughey. “It couldn’t have been any better and he seemed to come out of it well. He had a day off and has been back to the track the last few days. Everything seems to be going well.”
McGaughey, who will be targeting his 10th Breeders’ Cup win, said Code of Honor will log his final work in preparation for the Classic on Sunday morning at Belmont.
