McGaughey horse steps up for Tropical Park Derby

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hallandale Beach, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Ironicus, trained by Shug McGaughey, moves up in class Saturday as the Stuart Janney-owned 3-year-old makes his stakes debut in the $75,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park.

Ironicus, who has a win and a second in two prior Gulfstream starts, will break from post 3 with jockey Joel Rosario in the 14-horse field of 3-year- olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

"He ran a couple times down here last year and the second time he ran he finished second and cracked a cannon bone. We gave him some time off, and he came back good," McGaughey said. "The last two times he ran he ran against straight 3-year-olds."

The gray colt won his second career start on New Year's Day at Gulfstream Park and five weeks later was second at the track, both races on grass. He came back in late October with a third on the turf at Belmont Park and lost by a nose in a grass race at Aqueduct on Nov. 16.

"We've always thought he was a nice horse. He's got a good pedigree and he's a good-looking horse," McGaughey said. "We thought he was a nice horse. He's straight-forward. Everything he did, he did easy."

Ironicus has banked $55,190 from five career starts.

Cabo Cat, winner of Belmont Park's Manila Stakes in June, has drawn post 12 with Joe Bravo getting the riding assignment.

"He's doing well. He's another one who's done well since he's gotten down here," said trainer Mark Hennig about Cabo Cat. "Hopefully, he can rebound on his form a little bit. He ran well over this course last year and I think he's developed since then."

The chestnut colt, owned by Lee Lewis, was second in the Dania Beach at Gulfstream last December followed by a third in the track's Kitten's Joy, seventh in the Palm Beach and second in the Mr. Light Stakes.

"He needs some pace. Pace helps him a lot because he has a tendency to lag and punch it home," Hennig said. "He needs a set up, otherwise it doesn't work out so well because his punch is more effective off fast fractions."

Cabo Cat was second in Belmont's Paradise Creek Stakes in May before claiming the Manila. At Saratoga, the colt was fourth in the Sir Cat and third in the Saranac. He was sixth in the Kent Stakes at Delaware Park and third in a Belmont allowance race two months ago.

The 3-year-old has two wins, three seconds and three thirds from 12 starts for $216,792.

Here is the field for the Tropical Park Derby in post position order: Sky Flight, Jose Lezcano; Other Cheek, Julien Leparoux; Ironicus, Joel Rosario; My Storm Trooper, Jeffrey Sanchez; Breitling Flyer, Edgard Zayas; Best Plan Yet, Jesus Rios; Cement Clement, Kaylia Albright; Daddy's Kid, Travis Dunkelberger; Smooth Daddy, Javier Castellano; Roman Approval, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Morning Calm, Leandro Goncalves; Cabo Cat, Joe Bravo; Wallyanna, Mario Pino and Bashart, Luis Saez. Shiva Ryan and Idiosyncratic are also eligibles.

The Tropical Park Derby has an approximate post time Saturday of 3:58 p.m. ET.