With the Saratoga Racetrack Meet ending on Labor Day, our (Woodford Racing et al) horses with trainer Shug McGaughey dispersed. Some went to race for lucrative purses at Kentucky Downs and some returned to New York to prepare for the upcoming Aqueduct Racetrack Fall Meet. The horses who never shipped into Saratoga remained at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland and targeted the remaining days of the Colonial Downs Meet in Virginia.
Both Integration and Ohana Honor had been working well at Fair Hill throughout the Summer. Ohana Honor seemed to be a different horse since having minor surgery in July. Post the surgery he broke his maiden on August 3 going 7 furlongs (7/8th’s of a mile) on the Colonial Downs dirt. He won by 4 1/4 lengths and the official chart said he “drew off, much the best”. In his first lifetime start on August 12 at Colonial Downs, Integration won by 6 1/2 lengths going 1 1/16th miles on the turf and his official chart also proclaimed he was “much the best”.
With the closure of the Colonial Downs Meet on Saturday, September 9, Shug McGaughey targeted races for both Ohana Honor and Integration. Despite sprinting on the dirt in his previous win, Ohana Honor was entered in a turf route going 1 1/16th miles. The change of surfaces and distance didn’t seem to be a problem as Ohana Honor “drew away” to win by four widening lengths.
Integration was entered in the Grade 3, $500,000 Virginia Derby which was a very unusual move for Shug McGaughey. It’s rare for a horse who broke maiden in his first lifetime start to be pushed into a graded stakes race in start number two. In Integration’s case, Shug thought his maiden win was super impressive, he was training extremely well and the additional 1/16 of a mile should be to his liking. As the gate opened for the 1 1/8th mile Virginia Derby, Integration was rated near the back of the field by jockey Kendrick Carmouche. As the leaders continued a torrid pace upfront, Integration began picking them off one by one. At the top of the stretch, Carmouche swung Integration to the middle of the track and took aim at the new leader. Integration surged by him to win by 1 1/4 lengths and set a new track record. Setting a new track record is impressive, setting a new track record in lifetime start number two is phenomenal!
Integration Photo: Sophie Shore
Both Ohana Honor and Integration came out of their respective races in good shape. Both will likely race next at Aqueduct in New York.
Daily Racing Form Article on Integration Race
Horse Racing Nation Article on Integration Race