Photo:

Jason Moran / Ecllipse Sportswire

Integration closed rapidly to lead a Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey-trained exacta in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Red Smith, an 11-furlong inner turf test for 3-year-olds and up, at Aqueduct.

Integration, in his victory over stablemate Limited Liability, achieved millionaire status with the $165,000 winner’s share of the purse, bringing his total to over $1.1 million through a 10: 5-1-1 record. Flavien Prat was aboard for the score, avenging a second in the Hill Prince (G3) earlier on the card aboard the McGaughey-trained and West Point Thoroughbreds co-owned Cugino.

“It’s the end of the year and he’s been in training a good while. He (Prat) said he was kind of grinding the first part and then the last part he showed him another gear and finished up. So, I was pleased with him,” said McGaughey.

Intergration, a 4-year-old Quality Road bay owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, exited post 2 and settled into third position behind City Man and Rebel Red through an opening quarter-mile in 25.10 seconds on the firm turf.

Integration saved ground along the rail as the field was led past the grandstand for the first time with Rebel Red overtaking City Man when passing the wire in a 49.65 second half-mile. At the same time, the Frankie Dettori-piloted Limited Liability traveled wide to go from near the back of the field to third position.

Limited Liability improved to second and pressed Rebel Red in the second turn, but Prat was content to travel off the pace in sixth position going three-quarters in 1:14.30. The front duo duked it out in the third turn, with City Man between them and the rest of the group after one-mile in 1:38.02.

The attention was on Rebel Red and Limited Liability at the top of the lane with each horse refusing to give in. Integration traveled comfortably along the fence, and with 10 furlongs down in 2:01.78, he was just getting going.

Rebel Red battled to hold his narrow advantage over Limited Liability in the stretch, but Integration swept past both of them inside the final sixteenth en route to a two-length victory in a final time of 2:13.28.

Limited Liability finally got a nose in front of Rebel Red at the wire for second. There was a stewards’ inquiry into their stretch duel, but it was determined that mutual contact was made midstretch thus resulting in no change to the order of finish.

Pioneering Spirit closed for fourth 3 3/4 lengths back, with City Man, Adhamo, Curbstone, Daunt and Master Piece completing the order of finish.

Prat said that it was an impressive late rally from Integration, who won the 2023 Hill Prince (G2) at Aqueduct and the 2023 Virginia Derby (G3) at Colonial Downs in closing fashion under Kendrick Carmouche.

“It’s funny – turning for home, he was coming but more in a grinding way. When we got to the eighth pole he found another gear, so it was nice,” said Prat.

McGaughey added that a possible next start for Integration is in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) in January at Gulfstream Park – a race in which he was fifth in to start his current campaign.

“We’ll see what they want to do – it kind of depends on him, so I’ll watch him. It would be a nice thought, though,” McGaughey said.

Dettori said that Limited Liability, who cut back from a dominant win in the 2 1/16-mile Nashville Gold Cup in September at Kentucky Downs, was game to edge Rebel Red for place-honors.

“He’s won going two-miles but unfortunately, he never breaks any good, so I had to loop the field in the first stretch. I got in a good spot and from the half-mile pole I pressed him, and I had everyone beat but the winner,” said Dettori.

McGaughey added that Limited Liability could also come under consideration for the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, while also eyeing the two-mile H. Allen Jerkens Handicap in December at Gulfstream.

Jose Ortiz, aboard the hard-trying Rebel Red, said that he was proud of the Cherie DeVaux-trainee’s first effort beyond nine furlongs.

“I’m happy with the horse first time at this distance – he ran good,” said Ortiz.

Bred in Kentucky by Larkin Armstrong, Integration was a $700,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale and is out of the multiple turf graded stakes-winning mare Harmonize, who won the 2016 Del Mar Oaks (G1). He returned $4.50 as the post-time favorite.