Saratoga Maidens, Presented By Keeneland: Five Bars Keeps Shug’s Saratoga Streak Alive

[Wandering Eyes]

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.–For 41 straight years, Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey had found his way to the winner's circle at Saratoga Race Course.

The way things had been going this summer, he was starting to think his streak of at least one win at the Spa was going to come to a screeching halt.

Five Bars (Maxfield) split through rivals late and emerged victorious in Saturday's third race at Saratoga, a $100,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs.

When the Stuart Janney homebred won the race by a half-length over Icecreamforeveryone (Gun Runner), McGaughey could breathe a sigh of relief. His streak is alive, now 42 years and counting.

According to Equibase, McGaughey has won a race at Saratoga every year since 1983. His first was with the 3-year-old filly Lass Trump, winner of the Test Stakes that year.

McGaughey came into Saturday with no wins in 19 starters.

Heading to the starting gate for the third race, there was not much confidence from the betting public that McGaughey was going to end the skid. Five Bars went off odds of nearly 10-1, the second longest price in the field of seven.

“I wasn't surprised at that at all,” McGaughey said. “As bad a meet as I've been having…”

McGaughey could make light of it after Five Bars and jockey Joel Rosario had their picture taken. She ran the distance in 1:17.40 and paid $21.80, $8.40 and $4.80.

“This has been kind of a rough meet,” McGaughey said. “This kind of picks our heads up a little bit.”

McGaughey's best moments of the summer came a couple weeks ago but out of town when he won the GI Arlington Million with Fort Washington (War Front) and also finished third with Integration (Quality Road). That race was run at Colonial Downs in Virginia.

He thought he would see good things from Five Bars, who had shown a willingness in the mornings. In the race, she was steadied at the start and then came running and got through traffic to get the narrow score. She looked like a seasoned pro.

“She has a good mind,” McGaughey said. “She breezed good all summer, whether it was Belmont or here. She has grown up and matured. She showed all the signs that she would be ok; whether it was going to be today or not, we didn't know. Whenever we worked her in company, she would always sort of be the best. Nothing seems to bother her.”

McGaughey also trained Five Bars' dam, Secure Connection (Data Link), who had four wins in 19 career starts from 2019 to 2021.

“She ran on the grass,” McGaughey said. “There is nothing similar about them. This filly is bigger and stronger than the mother.”

McGaughey decided to run Five Bars in this spot rather than wait a week for a seven-furlong race. She was doing that well.

When McGaughey was pressed about his lengthy winning streak, he smiled and dismissed any thought about worrying about that.

“I was thinking about not winning one this meet,” he said. “I thought we had some chances, and they did not turn out.”

As far as a future race for Five Bars, McGaughey was not going to get too far ahead of himself.

“I would like to see her in next year's Alabama,” he said. “But we've got a long way to go for that. I hope she comes out of this good and we'll look for something at Aqueduct or Keeneland for her.”

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