Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey leads a pair into the Nov. 2 $250,000 Red Smith Stakes (G2T), part of the final day of the Belmont at the Big A meeting autumn.
Cousin enters with a victory in the Red Bank Stakes, one of two victories this year. His only non-winning start of the three came in the Fourstardave Stakes (G1T). Saratoga Race Course.
The 1 3/8-mile grass test will certainly test Cugino’s mettle. In 12 career starts, he has gone more than 1 1/8 miles only once.
“I’m looking forward to stretching him out,” McGaughey said. “I think he’ll do well there. He won there. I thought he ran well at Monmouth, but he wants to run further than that. So I’m looking forward to getting him stretched out.”
Cousin’s stablemate Limited liability is the only millionaire in the field of six. His last time out he was third, seven lengths back, in the 2 1/16 mile Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational Stakes.
McGaughey thinks that Sunday’s distance fits well with his student’s wishes.
“This is a good place to run him,” McGaughey said. “It doesn’t really matter to him as long as it’s that far. If he goes a little further, that’s okay too.”
The six competitors have a combined total of 38 starts and just one win. That win came within the most recent graded bets they have ever made.
Detour rallied from ninth to win the Sycamore Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland with odds of 34-1.
Filling in the field is Common defense ; Dancin in Da’nile ; And Fleetfoot making his second North American start.
Submissions: Red Smith S. (G2T)
Belmont at the Big A, Sunday, November 2, 2025, Race 7
- Grade IIT
- 1 3/8m
- Grass
- $250,000
- 3 years and older
- 2:20 PM (local)
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