(from Hollywood Park)
Parading, winner of the Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT) on the Pimlico turf May 16, is expected to run next July 11 in the $700,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I).
Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, speaking from Belmont Park, said that Parading will be flown to California June 29.
“Getting back on the synthetic is the big thing, and running in a big race like the Hollywood Gold Cup will be fun,” said McGaughey June 25. The Gold Cup is contested at 1 1/4 miles on Hollywood's Cushion Track.
Parading, a 6-year-old Phipps Stable homebred by Pulpit, seeks his third straight stakes victory after capturing the Ben Ali (gr. III) at Keeneland in his first start on a synthetic surface in April. He followed that win with a half-length triumph in the Dixie, which was the main event on the Preakness day undercard.
The chestnut has won seven of 17 starts and earned $405,046. He will be ridden back by Kent Desormeaux.
Parading will be accompanied on the flight by assistant Jennifer Patterson and Conservative, who will run July 18 in the $300,000 Swaps Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-olds. He finished second in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland in April.
McGaughey is also debating whether to add Pick Six to the flight for the $150,000 American Handicap (gr. IIT) on turf July 4. McGaughey nominated the 5-year-old son of Dynaformerfollowing a second-place finish in an allowance race on the Belmont turf June 17.
“The weather here has been atrocious,” said McGaughey. “We’ve had so much rain the last two months we haven’t been able to train. I’ll decide before the plane leaves Monday morning.”