Classic-placed Itsmyluckyday will try for a third straight stakes victory in his 4-year-old season when he starts in the $150,000 Salvator Mile Stakes (gr. III) July 6 at Monmouth Park.
Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa's Itsmyluckyday enters Sunday's race for 3-year-olds and older horses off a pair of clear victories, a three-length score in the Best of the Rest Stakes April 26 at Gulfstream Park and a 1 1/4-length tally in the Majestic Light Stakes May 24 at Monmouth.
The strong start to his 4-year-old season marks a successful return to racing for Itsmyluckyday, who finished second in last year's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) before being injured in the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth. The Lawyer Ron colt suffered a pelvic injury in that June 16, 2013 race. He would be rested for nearly nine months and that time off allowed the injury to heal.
Itsmyluckyday returned March 8 with a fourth-place finish in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) before posting his back-to-back wins.
The dozen entries in this year's Salvator Mile field also include last year's upset winner, Raging Daoust, who scored by a nose at 33-1. The son of Kafwain enters off a sixth-place finish in an allowance/optional claiming race June 7 at Monmouth.
The field's 121-pound highweight is Bradester, who will try to return to the winner's circle for the first time since a clear victory in the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III) Feb. 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The 4-year-old Lion Heart colt has finished off the board in his two most recent starts, grade II stakes at Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs.
$150,000 Salvator Mile Stakes (gr. III, race 10, approximate post time 5:13 p.m. EDT) 3YO&Up, one mile
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. a-Stormin Monarcho (KY), C. Lopez, 117, D. Jacobson
2. a-Spa City Fever (NY), C. Lopez, 117, D. Jacobson
3. Bradester (KY), J. Lezcano, 121, E. Kenneally
4. Don Dulce (KY), T. McCarthy, 117, J. Servis
5. Raging Daoust (KY), A. Castellano Jr., 117, C. Carlesimo Jr.
6. Sailor's Revenge (PA), J. Flores, 117, R. Preciado
7. Dawly (KY), A. Arroyo, 119, R. Rodriguez
8. Itsmyluckyday (KY), P. Lopez, 119, E. Plesa Jr.
9. Code West (VA), J. Bravo, 117, W. Catalano
10. Big Screen (KY), J. Alvarado, 117, T. Albertrani
11. Valid (VA), O. Bocachica, 117, M. Vitali
12. Elnaawi (KY), R. Maragh, 117, K. McLaughlin
a-coupled
