By J.N. Campbell
Integration's well-timed throttle management in the more than capable hands of jockey Flavien Prat worked to perfection as the 4-year-old swooped in late to take the featured GII Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday afternoon.
After a stellar start to his career in 2023, which saw the $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale buy graduate on debut by 6 1/2 lengths over the turf at Colonial Downs, then score in the GIII Virginia Derby and the GII Hill Prince Stakes at the Big A, Integration hit the board in the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland back in the spring. The Shug McGaughey trainee ran fourth in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes on the Derby undercard.
The highlight this season for Integration was clearly a 6 1/2-length win in the Million Preview Stakes at Colonial in mid-July and he offered a runner-up finish to MGISW Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) over the same course in the GI Arlington Million Stakes Aug. 11. Lacking a late burst in the GII Kentucky Downs Turf Cup put the colt fourth after going off as the favorite at the uniquely configured Commonwealth track.
Relishing a chance at a turn back in distance from 12 furlongs and well-backed as the 6-5 choice here, Integration was quick out of the blocks, but he was soon taken in-hand by Prat as the 4-year-old settled mid-pack along the rail passing the grandstand for the first time. As Limited Liability and Rebel Red made the pace up the backstretch, Integration continued to wait for his cue before the far turn.
The pair of leaders got the jump on the field at the quarter pole and it looked as though this was going to be a two-horse race to the wire. However, Prat knew what he had under him, tipped ever-so-slightly to the three path and his mount rolled home ready for his close-up to get his picture taken. An inquiry between Limited Liability and Rebel Red resulted in no change in the running order.
“It's the end of the year and he's [Integration] been in training a good while, said trainer Shug McGaughey. “He [Flavien Prat] said he was kind of grinding the first part and then the last part he showed him another gear and finished up. So, I was pleased with him.
“I was kind of looking at the gray horse [Limited Liability] because he's mine, too. I thought, 'don't let the other one beat you.' But I could tell he [Prat] had horse; it was just a matter of if he kicked in.”
Pedigree Notes:
Integration is out of Harmonize, who was no slouch herself on the grass as she collected the GI Del Mar Oaks, GII Glen Falls Stakes and GII JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes during her racing career under Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. In the breeding shed, the dam is responsible for unraced 2-year-old filly Castanet (Nyquist) and a yearling filly by Gun Runner, who Chester and Mary Broman took home for $1.15-million during Keeneland September. Harmonize foaled a filly named Drumline March 31 and she was bred to Into Mischief for 2025.
Saturday, Aqueduct
RED SMITH S.-GII, $300,000, Aqueduct, 11-9, 3yo/up, 1 3/8mT, 2:13.28, fm.
1–INTEGRATION, 124, c, 4, by Quality Road
1st Dam: Harmonize (GISW, $827,860), by Scat Daddy
2nd Dam: Mesa Fresca, by Sky Mesa
3rd Dam: Mayan Maiden, by Lyphard
($700,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, LLC; B-Larkin Armstrong (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-Flavien Prat. $165,000. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 10-5-1-1, $1,141,800. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Limited Liability, 124, g, 5, Kitten's Joy–Hold Harmless, by Blame. O/B-Stuart S. Janney, III LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $60,000.
3–Rebel Red (GB), 122, c, 4, Frankel (GB)–Without You Babe, by Lemon Drop Kid. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. (360,000gns RNA Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock Services; B-Mr. John Gunther (GB); T-Cherie DeVaux. $36,000.
Margins: 2, NO, 3 3/4. Odds: 1.25, 4.10, 5.10.
Also Ran: Pioneering Spirit, City Man, Adhamo (Ire), Curbstone, Daunt, Master Piece (Chi).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#2 INTEGRATION ($4.50) picks up the battling leaders late with a burst in the stretch to win the $300,000 Red Smith Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct. The son of Quality Road (@LanesEndFarms) was ridden by Flavien Prat and is trained by Shug McGaughey.
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