Lukas saddles top contenders in Iroquois, Pocahontas

Lukas, who turned 79 on September 2, has a couple of exciting two-year-old prospects racing this weekend at Churchill Downs(Coady Photgraphy)

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will send out a pair of promising
two-year-olds Saturday with Willis Horton’s Take Charge Brandi in the Grade 2
Pocahontas and Zayat Stables LLC’s Mr. Z in the Grade 3 Iroquois.

Although Lukas has captured 73 stakes wins at Churchill Downs in his esteemed
career, he has sent 21 starters to the Iroquois in past years and never won.

The 79-year-old conditioner Lukas has a strong chance with Mr. Z, the 5-2
morning line favorite who took his maiden debut under the Twin Spires on June
28, and followed it with back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Grade 3 Sanford
and Grade 2 Saratoga Special at Saratoga.

“He ran well at Saratoga this summer and we’ve been pleased with him,” Lukas
said. “We chose this spot because it’s two turns and because it’s a ‘Win and
You’re In’ race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Running him in the Hopeful at
Saratoga would have been too soon for him to come back.”

Mr. Z will have regular rider Corey Lanerie aboard and will break from post
position two in Saturday’s Iroquois.