Twirling Candy’s Cugino Earns First Graded Win In Red Smith At Aqueduct

[Wandering Eyes]

Looking for the first graded win of his career, Cugino (Twirling Candy–Adorable Miss, by Kitten's Joy) lived up to his odds and checked a higher-level score off his list in the GII Red Smith Stakes at the Big A on Sunday.

As the even-money choice here, Cugino tracked Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}) from the start and remained as a tracker through the far turn.

Shaken loose by the hot-riding Flavien Prat, the 4-year-old went to work down the lane and got up to get the money. Common Defense was the runner-up.

The final running time was 2:17.13.

Lifetime Record: 13-6-4-0. Sales History: $225,000 '22 KEESEP.

O-West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig LLC; B-Gage Hill Stables, LLC & W. S. Farish (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.

Flavien Prat gets his SIXTH win on the card in the Grade 2 Red Smith Stakes with CUGINO for trainer Shug McGaughey. pic.twitter.com/1XxkfayCBH

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) November 2, 2025

Sunday, Belmont at the Big A
RED SMITH S.-GII, $242,500, Belmont The Big A, 11-2, 3yo/up, 1 3/8mT, 2:17.13, fm.
1–CUGINO, 124, c, 4, by Twirling Candy
1st Dam: Adorable Miss (MSW, $162,590), by Kitten's Joy
              2nd Dam: Money Huntress, by Mineshaft
              3rd Dam: Favorite Funtime, by Seeking the Gold
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($225,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP).
O-West Point Thoroughbreds and Jimmy Kahig LLC; B-Gage
Hill Stables, LLC & W. S. Farish (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey
III; J-Flavien Prat. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 13-6-4-0,
$761,410. *1/2 to Battle of Normandy (City of Light), GSW,
$643,195; 1/2 to Veronica Greene (Tapit), SP, $195,500.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Common Defense, 122, c, 4, Karakontie (Jpn)–Allusion, by
Street Cry (Ire). ($9,000 RNA Wlg '21 KEENOV). O-David A.
Bernsen LLC, Tony Holmes, Michael Holmes, Leo Dooley,
and Sarah Dooley; B-Tony Holmes, Norevale Farm & Union
Dale (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $50,000.
3–Desvio, 126, g, 4, Yoshida (Jpn)–Fitzrovia, by Uncle Mo.
($60,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $70,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT). O-Bonnie
Rye Stable and Stonelea Stable; B-Eliza St George & Lee
Mauberret (KY); T-Madison F. Meyers. $30,000.
Margins: NO, 2, 2HF. Odds: 1.18, 4.92, 10.37.
Also Ran: Fleetfoot (Ire), Limited Liability. Scratched: Dancin in Da'nile.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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