Perform Performing Up To McGaughey’s Standards | 2023 Preakness Stakes News

Perform continues to perform the way Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey wants the 3-year-old colt to as he heads into the 148th running of Saturday’s Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course.

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Owned by Woodford Racing LLC, Lanes End Farm, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone and Edward J. Hudson Jr., Perform is scheduled to leave McGaughey’s barn at Belmont Park Tuesday morning at 8 and van to Baltimore. McGaughey will arrive on Wednesday.

Perform had his final Preakness breeze on Sunday, working a half-mile in 48.09 seconds, the second-fastest clocking of 42 works at the distance.

“I thought his work was excellent,” McGaughey said. “I thought it was the best I had ever seen him go. His work last Sunday (five furlongs in 1:00.56) was good, but this one was better.”

The son of Good Magic will be making his graded-stakes debut in the Preakness.

In his last start, he overcame a stumble at the break and made up 10 lengths to win Laurel’s Federico Tesio Stakes on April 15 by a head under jockey Feargal Lynch.

That was the first time Lynch, a Maryland veteran, was aboard Perform.

He will ride the horse back in the Preakness.

When asked if he thought the game Tesio performance, a Preakness win-and-in event, was a confidence builder for Perform, McGaughey chuckled.

“I don’t know about the horse, but it made me feel like he overcame a lot and still won,” he said.  “He had to wind his way through those horses and ate the dirt. I think that all kind of contributed to why we are going there.”

Perform has two wins in seven career starts along with a second- and third-place finish. In three starts this year, he has two wins.

He was supplemented to the Preakness for a fee of $150,000.