On Leave Leads Pimlico Charge for McGaughey in Gallorette

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is shipping a trio of talented stakes horses down from New York to Pimlico for its graded stakes-laden Preakness weekend, led by talented 4-year-old turf filly On Leave in the $150,000 Stella Artois Gallorette (G3). He also brings Grade 3-winning dirt mare Carrumba for the $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff (G3), as well as late-blooming turf horse Security Risk, who steps up in the $250,000 Longines Dixie Stakes (G2).

Stuart S. Janney, III’s homebred On Leave will look to duplicate the brilliance of half-brother Ironicus — smashing winner of the 2015 Dixie — when the strikingly similar-looking gray filly goes to post in the Dixie’s filly equivalent. Unraced since a solid 2016 campaign that saw her win four of five, including a tour-de-force in the Sands Point (G2) at Belmont Park in September, the daughter of War Front was last seen finishing a wide fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Oct. 15 at Keeneland.

“She’s had a bit of a layoff, but she’s training very well,” McGaughey said. “We’re looking forward to getting her started.”

On Leave was originally slated to commence her campaign in last weekend’s Beaugay Stakes (G3) at Belmont, but was rerouted to Baltimore.

“With a first race back, we really didn’t want to run her on soft turf the other day,” McGaughey said. “I expect her to run well.”

Expectations have long been high for 5-year-old mare Carrumba. By Bernardini out of a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dancing Forever, the Phipps Stable homebred had delivered consistently throughout her first 10 races, finishing first or second nine times and third in her lone G1 attempt, the Ogden Phipps last June at Belmont.

Off from July, when third in the Shuvee Handicap (G3) behind Eclipse Award finalist Curalina, until April 9, Carrumba has raced twice in graded sprints and has yet to show the brilliance of her past form. A change in equipment and jockey, as well as a return to two turns, will be in order for the gray mare when she lines up in Post 6 of eight in Friday’s DuPont.

“We thought that the blinkers would help her to focus and to lay a little closer,” McGaughey said. “We have trained her in them and she seems to have focused better. She worked really well in them the other day, so we’re going to give it a whirl. Off two sprints and adding blinkers, I think she’ll be laying up close.”

Carrumba worked five furlongs in the mud at Belmont May 14 in 1:00.60. A winner of four of 12, she receives the first-time services of reigning Eclipse champion jockey Javier Castellano. She had been ridden in her first 10 starts by Jose Ortiz and in her last two by John Velazquez and Tyler Gaffalione, respectively. Her best efforts to date have been a half-length victory in the 2016 Top Flight Invitational Handicap (G3) and her third in the Phipps, in which she was beaten a half-length for second by one of the top fillies in training, multiple Grade 1 winner Forever Unbridled.

Security Risk may be the longest shot of McGaughey’s trio but enters the Dixie off a gate-to-wire victory from Post 11 in Keeneland allowance company April 19 at the Dixie’s 1 1/16-mile distance. A son and grandson of champions Smuggler and Inside Information, the well-intended bay horse makes his 15th career start and third of 2017. He was second by a head in his debut to Grade 2-placed Jay Gatsby March 10 at Gulfstream Park to kick off his campaign.

“He ran great in a three-other-than at Keeneland and I think it’s time to give him a chance,” McGaughey said. “His two races this year have been good. In his Gulfstream Park race, he was beat right on the money by Jay Gatsby and last time he broke from an outside post, ran quick fractions and still won. He’s trained very well since then, so we’re going to take a shot.”

Source: Maryland Jockey Club