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Shug Unveils Potential ‘Star’ at Spa

Capture the Flag (Quality Road–War Flag, by War Front) entering with some positive workout notes and backed at 5-2 for the notoriously patient Shug McGaughey barn, turned in an auspicious debut in Saratoga's Saturday opener that seemed like just the tip of the iceberg. Last away in the field of five, the hulking bay quickly narrowed the gap and mounted a three-deep move into the turn. Going much easier than the two foes to his inside approaching the stretch, he was confidently ridden out by Luis Saez, bounding home by three lengths in 1:06.17 en route to being named a 'TDN Rising Star'. Tatum (Cross Traffic), who had been beaten a nose on debut at Parx, was second best.

Capture the Flag was bred by Mr. Joseph Allen LLC and appears to be have been bought into privately after that by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg Limited and Jonathan Poulin. He is the second foal out of Allen and McGaughey's 2017 GI Flower Bowl S. winner War Flag–the first, Personal Best (Tapit), was most recently third going nine furlongs on the grass at Belmont in maiden special weight company last month. War Flag is a full to Hong Kong G1SW Lines of Battle. A half to the dam produced the same connections' 2020 Flower Bowl heroine Civil Union. Capture the Flag's third dam is GISW Andover Way (His Majesty), who in turn produced MGSW and influential sire Dynaformer (Roberto). Next in the pipeline for War Flag is a yearling Uncle Mo filly and a foal colt by Into Mischief. She was bred back to Gun Runner.

McGaughey's recent 'Rising Star'-worthy debut winners at the Spa include champion Honor Code (A.P. Indy) and MGISW Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}).

1st-Saratoga, $101,850, Msw, 7-30, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:06.17, ft, 3 lengths.
CAPTURE THE FLAG, c, 2, Quality Road
                1st Dam: War Flag (GISW-USA, GSW-Fr, $474,660),
                                by War Front
                2nd Dam: Black Speck, by Arch
                3rd Dam: Andover Way, by His Majesty
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Allen Stable, Inc., Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael B., Smith, Derrick, Westerberg Limited and Poulin, Jonathan; B-Mr. Joseph Allen LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.

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Corniche Returns in Amsterdam

Champion Corniche (Quality Road) makes his highly anticipated return to the races and first start for trainer Todd Pletcher Sunday in Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S.

The 'TDN Rising Star' spent some time at WinStar after his championships season and, with Bob Baffert serving his suspension, was sent to Pletcher in May with an eye on the late season sophomore highlights. (Click here for Pletcher's thoughts in Mike Kane's Saturday feature).

“We're hoping that with the good fortune we had with his sire Quality Road and him making his debut for us in the Amsterdam, which produced a track record performance, that hopefully some of that good fortune will follow through here,” said Pletcher, who seeks his fifth Amsterdam win.

While he will be the favorite, he won't have it easy. Corniche is joined by Grade I winner Gunite (Gun Runner) and graded stakes-winning fellow Pletcher trainee My Prankster (Into Mischief), who finished one-two in Churchill's Maxfield S. last out July 3. The champ also faces one of his former shedrow mates from the Baffert barn in GISW Pinehurst (Twirling Candy).

Also on tap at Saratoga Sunday is the GII Bowling Green S. for turf marathoners. Grade I winners Arklow (Arch) and Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Juju's Map Headlines Monmouth Oaks

Never worse than second in a juvenile campaign that included a win in the GI Darley Alcibiades S., Juju's Map (Liam's Map) looks to return to winning ways Sunday in the GIII Monmouth Oaks. Making her seasonal debut with a dominant optional claimer score on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard, the dark bay checked in third as the favorite last out in Belmont's GII Mother Goose S. June 25.

She will be made to work for it though with the presence of Meydan sensation and 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings), who receives Lasix for the first time Sunday. The $425,000 OBSAPR acquisition was second in the Mother Goose after rallying for sixth in the Oaks.

A pair of Gun Runner fillies look to add to their sire's stakes success at Monmouth last weekend in SW Shotgun Hottie and GSP Runaway Wife.

Sunday's graded action wraps at Del Mar with the GII Eddie Read S., where GII Charles Whittingham S. top two Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy) and Masteroffoxhounds (War Front) top the field.

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Florida Vet Garcia Wants Plea Change to Avoid Doping Trial

Erica Garcia, a Florida-based veterinarian, broke off her longstanding business relationship with the now-imprisoned trainer Jorge Navarro in early 2019. But she remained in contact with other conspirators of the Thoroughbred doping scheme that Navarro-and numerous other racetrackers-would later admit to.

So when federal investigators began compiling evidence that led to a nationwide series of arrests in a widespread racehorse drugging crackdown in March 2020, Garcia was considered fair game for her alleged role in the pipeline of purportedly performance-enhancing drugs.

Charged with two felony counts involving conspiracies to commit drug alteration and misbranding and defrauding the United States government, in Garcia tried in 2021 to get a federal judge to suppress the evidence obtained from searches of her car and phone. It didn't work.

Now Garcia, 43, wants to join many of the 30 other defendants in the case who have either already changed their pleas or been found guilty by trial. On July 29 she requested a hearing before the judge to do explain why she wants to flip from “not guilty,” and that request was swiftly accommodated with an Aug. 1 court date.

Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil will preside over the hearing. She's the same judge who wrote the order that denied the suppression of evidence.

“Garcia argues that the physical search of her car, pursuant to a search warrant, was invalid because the application for the warrant contained 'stale' evidence,” Vyskocil wrote last year. “The Court rejects this argument because the affidavit for the warrant presented evidence that Garcia was long involved in an ongoing conspiracy.”

“The affidavit in support of the warrant for Garcia's car detailed her long-term relationship with Navarro and ongoing involvement with members of his doping scheme. It described at least six instances over the span of four months in which Garcia discussed with Navarro administering prohibited substances to racehorses,” Vyskocil wrote.

“The affidavit acknowledged that Garcia's relationship with Navarro deteriorated in early 2019,” Vyskocil wrote. “It explained that, nevertheless, Garcia remained in touch with other members of Navarro's network, including his assistant trainer.

“In the light of the evidence of Garcia's longstanding and continuing involvement in a doping operation, there was probable cause to search her vehicle, notwithstanding her personal break with Navarro,” Vyskocil wrote.

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Arrogate’s ‘Rising Star’ Artorius Romps in Curlin

Juddmonte homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Artorius (c, 3, Arrogate–Paulassilverlining, by Ghostzapper), a very promising maiden winner second out going a one-turn mile at Belmont June 10, potentially punched his ticket to the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 27 with an eye-catching victory in Friday's Curlin S. at Saratoga.

Drawn widest of all in post eight while making his two-turn debut in this 1 1/8-mile affair, the 5-2 chance tucked in to race in a perfect spot in a ground-saving fourth. Locked and loaded beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. on far turn, he was tipped out at the quarter pole and took off impressively in the stretch to win going away by 4 3/4 lengths. Gilded Age (Medaglia d'Oro) was second; favored GI Preakness S. third-place finisher Creative Minister (Creative Cause) was third.

Artorius was featured in Steve Sherack's 'Second Chances' series after rallying smartly from far back to finish a debut second at Keeneland Apr. 16.

Artorius becomes the fourth black-type winner for his brilliant and late second-crop sire Arrogate.

Juddmonte purchased Artorius's dam Paulassilverlining privately from breeder Vince Scuderi ahead of her 5-year-old season with the gone-to-soon Arrogate in mind as a future mate. She recorded two wins at the highest level that term-the GI Madison S. and GI Humana Distaff S.-while carrying Juddmonte's green-and-pink silks.

Paulassilverlining, a half-sister to two-time GI Carter H. winner Dads Caps (Discreet Cat), is also responsible for the 2-year-old filly Parameter (Into Mischief), currently in training with Chad Brown at Saratoga, and a Tapit filly of this year.

CURLIN S., $135,000, Saratoga, 7-29, (C), 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.34, ft.
1–ARTORIUS, 118, c, 3, by Arrogate
                1st Dam: Paulassilverlining (MGISW, $1,516,230), by
                                Ghostzapper
                2nd Dam: Seeking the Silver, by Grindstone
                3rd Dam: Apache Pines, by Pancho Villa
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc
(KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $74,250. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-1-0, $142,250.
2–Gilded Age, 120, c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Angela Renee, by
Bernardini. ($600,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Grandview Equine
& Don Alberto Stable; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY);
T-William I. Mott. $27,000.
3–Creative Minister, 120, c, 3, Creative Cause–Tamboz, by
Tapit. ($180,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Fern Circle Stables, Back
Racing, LLC & Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek); B-Dell Ridge
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $16,200.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1HF, NO. Odds: 2.70, 10.90, 1.85.
Also Ran: A. P.'s Secret, Western River, Golden Glider, Make It Big, Be Better. Scratched: Wolfe County.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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