“It’s like the good old days,” said Baffert, who was recording his
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“He’s right there with Midshipman (Unbridled’s Song) in that sense,” the
trainer added, alluding to last year’s Del Mar Futurity winner who went on to
take the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and be named champion two-year-old male.
Sterling Outlook (Eurosilver) and Smiling Tiger alternated leads through an
opening quarter in :23 and a half-mile in :46. Breaking from post 1, Lookin at
Lucky was content to rate near the back under Garrett Gomez down the backside,
but began to advance through the field while hugging the rail around the far
turn. Turning for home, Lookin at Lucky moved off the inside and split the two
leaders to take control and drew off for a one-length victory in a time of 1:22
4/5.
“In these big races, you’ve got to take what they give you,” Gomez said. “I
was down inside and I didn’t have much choice. I had to ride it the way it came
up. I did have a little flashback to yesterday (when he was stuck down inside in
the Pacific Classic [G1] with fifth-place finisher Colonel John [Tiznow] and
never got a good chance to get out).
“I wasn’t liking my position,” Gomez admitted. “But if you have a good horse,
you can do a lot of things. If you sit down inside there long enough, something
is going to happen for you. And I waited and waited and then I was able to push
my way out and get him loose. He’s a good horse and good horses can make you
look good.”
The fast-closing Make Music for Me, the 6-1 third choice, was up to claim
second by a half-length and gave back $4.60 and $4. Smiling Tiger, at 13-1,
prevailed by a length over Sterling Outlook for the show and paid $4.80. The $1
exotics were worth $10.70 (exacta), $56.80 (trifecta) and $156.40 (1-5-4-7
superfecta). Hurricane Ike (Graeme Hall), Zip Quik (City Zip), Who’s Up (Graeme
Hall), Champagne d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) and Marcello (Johannesburg) completed
the order of finish.
A winner at first asking by three-quarters of a length at Hollywood Park on
July 11 going six furlongs, Lookin at Lucky followed that with a victory in the
Best Pal by the same margin. Lookin at Lucky has now earned $303,000 for owners
Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman following a sweep of Del Mar’s two
major events for juveniles.
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 recent Jim
Dandy S. (G2) and Dwyer S. (G2) winner Kensei (Mr. Greeley), as well as a 2009
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.