McGaughey Barn Locked and Reloaded

One of the most impressive performances of the Keeneland spring meet was turned in by the Phipps Stable’s Reload when he won a six-furlong allowance race by a widening 6 3/4 lengths.

“He ran the race of his life here last spring,” said Robbie Medina, assistant to trainer Shug McGaughey. “When they train well on Polytrack and run well on it, you keep a race like the Phoenix in the back of your mind.”

The spring allowance victory came in the first start on Polytrack for Reload, who will make his second start on the surface this afternoon in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G3). Reload will break from post position three and be ridden by John Velazquez.

“After he won here, we took him back to New York and he ran well in the slop,” Medina said. “After he didn’t run so well in a couple of stakes, we eased off a little bit. He has trained well lately and if he runs back to that spring race, he can be competitive.”

Another spring allowance winner returning for the McGaughey barn this weekend is Emory Hamilton’s Hungry Island, who runs in Saturday’s $400,000 First Lady (G1).

Third in the First Lady last year, Hungry Island comes into Saturday’s race off a runner-up effort in the Noble Damsel (G3) at Belmont Park going a mile.

“She has been doing really well and her last start was good,” Medina said. “She runs well here and she has been knocking on the door of getting a Grade 1 win. Maybe the door will open for her tomorrow.”