McGaughey Finds Himself In The Oaks Catbird's Seat With Storm Flag Flying, Yell
By: William F. Reed

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Apr. 4, 2003) - Whenever things were going well for the old Brooklyn Dodgers, radio announcer Red Barber would say they were in the "catbird's seat." Trainer Claude R. "Shug" McGaughey is probably too young to know that, because the Dodgers were long gone to Los Angeles by the time he came to New York to take over the Phipps Stable horses in 1986.

But when it comes to the Kentucky Oaks, the catbird's seat is precisely where McGaughey could find himself perched after Saturday's $500,000-added Ashland Stakes at Keeneland.

He has the solid Oaks favorite in Storm Flag Flying, the unbeaten winner of last year's $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. But he also has Yell, who will be one of the favorite's in the 1 1/16th-mile Ashland.

The Ashland always is such a quality race that it's difficult to refer to it as an "Oaks prep." Yet the Ashland winner usually becomes one of the favorites for the Oaks, which will be held at Churchill Downs for the 129th time on Friday, May 2.

The list of Ashland-Oaks winners includes such hallowed names as Silverbulletday, Princess Rooney, Blush With Pride, Optimistic Gal, Sun and Snow, Blue Norther, and Real Delight.

With Storm Flag Flying as his trump card, McGaughey will be able to test the opposition with Yell. The Ashland field will include such outstanding fillies as Lady Tak, Elloluv, and Ivanavinalot.

If Yell wins, which is highly possible, McGaughey will know he's going into the Oaks with a double-barrelled shotgun. If Yell loses, depending on how the race unfolds, McGaughey will at least be able to identify his most formidable opposition.

A native of Lexington, Ky. who has won a slew of Grade I stakes races for the Phipps family and other owners, McGaughey has enjoyed better success in the Ashland and the Oaks than he has in the Blue Grass Stakes and the Derby.

He won the Ashland in 1994 with Inside Information, in 1996 with My Flag (the dam of Storm Flag Flying), and in 1997 with Glitter Woman. His Oaks victory came in 1993 with Dispute.

But McGaughey has never won the Blue Grass or the Derby, the races, along with the Oaks, that are most coveted by Kentucky horsemen. His best Derby finish came in 1989, when Easy Goer was second and Awe Inspiring third to Sunday Silence.

Yell, a daughter of 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy, is owned by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider. Earlier this year, she won the Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

But in the Oaks, she'll need her best effort to defeat the unbeaten Lady Tak, Hollywood Oaks winner Elloluv, and Ivanavinalot, impressive winner of the Bonnie Miss Stakes at Gulfstream.

Ivanavinalot is trained by Kathleen O'Connell, who'll be bidding to become the first female trainer to win the Ashland. She was ridden by John Velazquez in the Bonnie Miss, but he has opted for Yell in the Ashland. Ivanavinalot will be ridden by Mark Guidry.

Velazquez won the Ashland in 2001 with Fleet Renee, trained by Michael Dickinson and owned by Verne H. Winchell. The talented New York-based rider has never won the the Blue Grass, the Oaks, or the Derby.

Because of McGaughey's popularity in Central Kentucky, there'll be quite a Yell if his filly wins the Ashland. He'll not only receive a trophy, but rights to the catbird's seat heading into the Kentucky Oaks.

Native Kentuckian William F. Reed has been a sports writer in various capacities for 43 years and has missed covering the Kentucky Derby a mere two times since 1966. He has been a high-profile sports writer in Kentucky for the Commonwealth's two largest daily newspapers, the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader and was a national columnist for Sports Illustrated, covering among other sports, Thoroughbred horse racing and college basketball. Reed currently pens a column for the Louisville Sports Report and covered Kentucky Derby 128 for kentuckyderby.com. He will be filing frequent installments for CDSN's (Churchill Downs Simulcasting Network) websites throughout 2003.

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