In a tough spot at crunch time, Cugino and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. made it happen for a victory in the Tropical Park Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Bottled up in traffic turning for home, Irad produced Cugino at just the right time and the colt responded with gusto, prevailing by a neck at 8-to-5 odds. Overcoming an outside post position, Cugino delivered Irad’s fifth win of the day.

Irad said, “I wanted to get a good position going into the first turn and I went for it without thinking twice. I used him a little bit to get position and that’s all I wanted to do. I was worried about the post position more than anything. I know I was on the right horse,” Ortiz said. “Going into the first turn I used him a little more than I wanted to, but I ended up in a beautiful spot and after that, everything worked out beautiful. I turned for home and it opened up and I was able to get clear without a problem, and he gave me a good kick down the lane.”

Cugino scored his second stakes win of 2024. It was West Point’s 26th stakes triumph of 2024.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said, “He got him in position on the first turn. I liked the way he was able to wait, and when the hole opened, he really kicked.”

Shug also trains Cugino’s half brother Battle of Normandy, who won the Grade 3 River City Stakes at Churchill last month and is pointing for the $1-million Pegasus Cup Turf at Gulfstream on January 25. Their dam, Adorable Miss, was a double stakes winner on the grass at Gulfstream.