It's Tricky Doing Geat After Distaff Win

Saturday was a busy day for Art Magnuson, New York-based assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. After sending out It's Tricky to victory in Aqueduct's Grade 2, $200,000 Distaff Handicap, he was off to West Virginia to saddle Redding Colliery in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic, which went off at 10:34 yesterday evening. Magnuson was in good spirits Sunday morning despite the long day, and reported both his charges to be doing well.

"It's Tricky's doing great; she came out of the race very well, ate well, she's happy," said Magnuson. "Simon Crisford and Jimmy Bell [of Godolphin] will make the final decision on what's next, but logically it looks like the Phipps [Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap, 1 1/16 miles on May 28 at Belmont Park]. She really came out of it well. She wintered very well in Florida and it's nice to be able to stay home [and run]. She's already won two Grade 1s, so we didn't have to go chasing it. Let them come to us."

Redding Colliery was also said to be doing well after arriving back at McLaughlin's Belmont Park barn by van Sunday morning following a last-place finish in the Charles Town Classic after a wide trip. A two-time graded stakes winner out of town, Redding Colliery won the Evening Attire stakes at Aqueduct on January 28.

"It was a gamble," Magnuson said of the decision to run in West Virginia. "We were in an overnight stake here on turf yesterday, or we could have entered today's overnight stakes on dirt, but we thought 'He was third there before [2010 Charles Town Classic], let's take a shot.' He's just beginning to look like he might need a little easier spot. He's very sound, he's doing great, but he's six years old. Sometimes it doesn't matter, they go on and do well, but he might be just a half a step slower than he was."

Magnuson, however, was not feeling slow on Sunday morning.

"I've had caffeine, and It's Tricky winning definitely helps," said Magnuson. "Tomorrow I'll be tired. The trip wasn't bad, though. At 6:30 we took off [from Republic Airport in Farmingdale], we were at Charles Town by 7:45, and we were on the ground here again at 12:30. It sounds like West Virginia is so far away, but we got to airport and we're in the air like that. It's the way to go, it spoils you. We were back on the ground in Farmingdale and I'm thinking 'Man, the horse is probably just going to the stall now.' It was unreal."