B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm has acquired the breeding interest in Itsmyluckyday , most recently the runner-up in the Aug. 2 Whitney Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
The multiple graded stakes-winning son of Lawyer Ron will continue racing throughout the remainder of 2014, starting with $600,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 30 at Saratoga, before he takes up stud duty at the Lexington-based farm in 2015.
Itsmyluckyday is being offered immediately to breeders through Spendthrift's Share The Upside Program. The farm is honoring a lock-in fee of $7,500 stands and nurses, but his fee is subject to change depending on future race results.
"Spendthrift remains committed to offering breeders exciting young stallion prospects in our Share The Upside program, and we're thrilled to be able to add a colt of Itsmyluckyday's quality to our future stallion ranks," said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift Farm general manager. "We saw that quality in the Whitney against maybe the best field of older horses assembled so far in 2014, and we believe that performance is a sign of great things to come."
In the Whitney, Itsmyluckyday was the only horse in the star-studded field that was running late at loose front-running winner Moreno. Prior to the Whitney, Itsmyluckyday had won three straight stakes at Gulfstream Park and Monmouth Park, including the Salvator Mile (gr. III) July 6.
Last year as a 3-year-old, Itsmyluckyday had success on the Triple Crown trail. He was a game runner-up to Oxbow in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) after enjoying a tremendous start to the season.
The dark bay colt won the Gulfstream Park Derby and then handed 2-year-old champion Shanghai Bobby his first defeat when he won the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III). Itsmyluckyday established a Gulfstream track record in the Holy Bull, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.81.
As a 2-year-old, Itsmyluckyday was a multiple stakes winner. He followed up an impressive maiden win with open-lengths scores in the Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash Stakes at Monmouth and Foolish Pleasure Stakes at Calder Casino & Race Course. His record stands at 8-4-1 from 18 career starts and earnings of $1,302,600.
Trained by Eddie Plesa for owners Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa, Itsmyluckyday will continue to race for his current connections. The 4-year-old colt is out of the stakes-placed Doneraile Court mare Viva La Slew.