Cugino came through for a record-breaking Flavien Prat in the Grade 2, $250,000 Red Smith Stakes on Sunday, getting his nose down on the wire to become a Graded stakes winner and deliver Flavien’s 6th victory on the Aqueduct card.
Cugino improved to 3 wins in 4 starts in 2025 for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, and he opened up a new avenue in stretching out to a mile and three-eighths.
“I was very happy with my trip,” said Prat, who wound up with seven wins on the card, a new record at a New York Racing Association track. “He’s [Cugino] been running short so the distance could have been a question mark [for Cugino] and I thought it could be better if we turned it into a sprint and that’s what happened. It was a good run.”
Flavien, West Point and Shug also teamed to win the 2024 Red Smith with Integration. Shug has now won the Red Smith a record six times.
“I’m very pleased with how hard he tried,” McGaughey said. “That was the first time we got to stretch him out that far. Whether he wants to run this far or not, I don’t know, but he did it today. He is just a nice horse. He likes being a horse. He wants to be a little tough if you see us saddling and stuff, but that is just part of him. We are pleased to get this stakes.”
