McGaughey Pleased With Protesting

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is keeping his options open for the Phipps Stable’s Protesting, who rallied from eighth Thursday afternoon to win an optional claimer by a neck in her first start on the turf .

It was the first victory of the year for the 3-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy, who had finished fourth to Evening Jewel in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland in her previous start.

“I don’t have anything picked out for her yet,” said McGaughey. “We’ll probably nominate her to the [Grade 1 BetFair TVG] Acorn on Belmont Stakes Day, and maybe the Mother Goose [Grade 1, June 26] and see how the races come up.”

Protesting, out of the Storm Cat mare On Parade, broke her maiden at fourth asking at Keeneland last October and then finished second to Tizahit in the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct Racetrack on November 28 to close out her juvenile campaign.