Lukas Hopes to Make Fashion Statement with Holiday Runner

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D. Wayne Lukas has won more than his share of added-money races, but one has eluded the Hall of Fame conditioner --the Fashion Stakes. That could all change when he sends out the undefeated Holiday Runner in the $75,000 five-furlong contest for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park on Thursday.

Holiday Runner enters the race off two strong showings. She broke her maiden at first asking at Keeneland on April 7 with a victory at four furlongs. The daughter of Meadowlake then returned against the males on Kentucky Derby (gr. I) Day to win the five-furlong Three Chimneys Juvenile at Churchill Downs by a length. The filly covered the distance in :57 3/5. Lukas trains Holiday Runner for S. J. Bee Stable.

Challenging Holiday Runner will be the Todd Pletcher-trained La Violette. In her only career start, May 15, the daughter of Coronado's Quest crushed seven rivals going five furlongs in :59 1/5 at Belmont.

Another one to watch is the John Terranova-trained Stay. A daughter of Crafty Prospector, Stay won her debut race at Aqueduct on May 1, going 4 1/2 furlongs in :53 2/5.

The field for the Fashion Stakes includes: Stay (Richard Migliore, 114); Holiday Runner (Jerry Bailey, 118); Rouge General (Jose Caraballo, 114); La Violette, John Velazquez, 114); Forever Partners (Edgar Prado, 114); Miss Mary Apples (Jorge Chavez, 114); and Milliondollarbaby (Rachel Lavoy, 114).

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