After narrowly suffering his first career setback with a troubled second in
the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s
LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Smart Strike) returned to his winning ways in Saturday’s
$750,000 CashCall Futurity (G1), posting a convincing three-quarters of a length
victory that probably locks up the Eclipse Award for outstanding
two-year-old. Winner of the Norfolk S. (G1) and Del Mar Futurity (G1) earlier
this season, the bay colt gave Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a record-setting
fifth victory in the important test for Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls when
completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 1/5 over the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park.
With regular rider Garrett Gomez at the helm, Lookin at Lucky broke alertly
from his innermost post and tracked behind stablemate The Program (Harlan’s
Holiday) entering the clubhouse turn. The pacesetter came off the rail a little
entering the backstretch, allowing a headstrong Lookin at Lucky plenty of room
to run along the inside, and established moderate early fractions in :24 and :48
1/5. The heavy favorite launched his move on the far turn, passing the
three-quarters mark in 1:13 with a head advantage, and surged to a clear lead in
upper stretch, putting away the field with consummate ease as he cruised to the
finish line.
Favored at 1-5, Lookin at Lucky paid $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10 to his many
supporters. Breeders’ Futurity (G1) hero Noble’s Promise (Cuvee), who finished
third by a half-length in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, was in perfect position to
strike throughout but lacked the necessary rally to threaten the winner. He
withstood the late rally of Make Music for Me (Bernstein) by a half-length and
returned $2.40 and $2.10 at nearly 5-2. Make Music for Me was off as the 28-1
fourth choice and totaled $3.40. The Program, Marcello (Johannesburg), Brady
Blue Eyes (Sky Mesa) and Seattle Ruler (Roman Ruler) rounded out the order of
finish. Wildlee Special (Offlee Wild) was scratched. The $1 exotics yielded
$2.10 (exacta), $8.30 (trifecta) and $34.90 (1-6-5-3 superfecta).
Now 6-5-1-0 overall with $1,243,000 in earnings, Lookin at Lucky scored at
first asking, taking a July 11 maiden at Hollywood by three-quarters of a length
while going six furlongs, and made a smooth transition to stakes competition
when garnering the 6 1/2-furlong Best Pal S. (G2) at Del Mar by the same margin
in his next start. He followed it with an authoritative one-length score in the
seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity, and prepped for the Breeders’ Cup with an easy 1
3/4-length victory in the October 4 Norfolk at Santa Anita, his first start
around two turns.
Post position 13 proved to be a major detriment in the Juvenile, as Lookin at
Lucky was carried extremely wide on both turns, and the 2-1 favorite was bumped
repeatedly before launching a gallant rally in the stretch that came up a head
short.
“He showed today what a good horse he is,” Baffert said after the
Juvenile. “It’s just frustrating to know you have much the best horse and to
come up short like that. I didn’t give him any chance at all at the half-mile
pole. At least you know that you can look forward to the (Kentucky) Derby.”
Bred in Kentucky by Gulf Coast Farms, Lookin at Lucky was a $475,000
Keeneland April two-year-old-in training purchase. Produced from the winning
Private Feeling (Belong to Me), the juvenile is a half-brother to this year’s
Jim Dandy S. (G2) and Dwyer S. (G2) winner Kensei (Mr. Greeley), as well as a
weanling colt by Afleet Alex. Private Feeling is a half-sister to Grade 3 queen
Grand Charmer (Lord Avie), the granddam of 2006 champion three-year-old filly
Wait a While (Maria’s Mon). Lookin at Lucky’s third dam is Grade 1 queen Sharp
Belle (Native Charger), and Sir Harry Lewis (Alleged), the 1987 Irish Derby
(Ire-G1) winner, also hails from this family.
Baffert said that he would like to run Lookin at Lucky only twice before next
year’s Kentucky Derby, with at least one prep race on dirt.