Top Billing finished second, a neck behind Todd Pletcher-trained
Commissioner, in Friday’s featured entry-level allowance at Gulfstream Park
blessed with several three-year-old prospects, but it wasn’t difficult for
trainer Shug McGaughey to find the silver lining.
“He ran a good race — that’s what I was looking for. I liked the way he ran
and handled everything. Being second, I can run him back in another other-than
(allowance). Had he won, I probably would have had to run him back in a stake,”
McGaughey said Saturday morning. “I always take them over to win, but it was
very, very impressive the way he ran.”
Coming off a debut victory, Top Billing dropped back to last on the
backstretch in the 1 1/8-mile race. After saving ground along the turn into the
homestretch, jockey Joel Rosario swung the son of Curlin to the middle of the
track for the stretch run, Commissioner to his inside and Hy Kodiak Warrior to
his outside. Top Billing’s momentum was likely compromised by being briefly
crowded, but he continued on to finish well and gallop out strongly.
“I was very impressed. I think it’s very difficult for a horse to go from
three-quarters around one turn to go a mile and an eighth, especially over this
track,” McGaughey said. “He got all the worst of it. He got all the dirt from
back to where he was, that probably went into why he didn’t run well the first
part of it. He got squeezed the first part of it. It wasn’t all roses from there
and handled it all, ran through it all. He was probably the best, but he was
second.”
Top Billing debuted at Laurel on December 6, overcoming early crowding to
finish with a rush to win going away by five lengths at six furlongs.
“He went the wrong way on me in the summer. He sort of lightened up more than
I liked and I backed off on him and sent him to Fair Hill,” McGaughey said. “He
trained down there and got ready to run. Instead of putting him on a van to run
down here, I said, ‘Let’s just run him here.'”
Owned and bred by William Farish and the Edward J. Hudson Irrevocable Trust,
Top Billing is likely to return to action in another entry-level allowance
route.
“Looking at him, he’s got some more developing to do, which I like,”
McGaughey said. “I think his future is in front of him.”
McGaughey is also pleased with the recent works of his two other
three-year-old prospects, Remsen winner Honor Code and Dania Beach victor Mr
Speaker.
The Hall of Fame trainer said the $400,000 Fountain of Youth on February 22
remains the likely goal for Honor Code, who breezed three furlongs in :39 at
Gulfstream last Tuesday. Mr Speaker, who romped to a 2 3/4-length victory over
the Gulfstream turf course in the Dania Beach, breezed a half-mile at Payson
Park in :49 1/5 on Friday with an eye toward a possible start in the $400,000
Holy Bull on January 25.
“He worked very well (Friday) on the dirt. Next weekend, I plan on putting
him behind a horse and let the dirt hit him in the face,” McGaughey said. “Then,
I’ll make up my mind from there.”
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