(from Santa Anita notes)
Following Lookin At Lucky's six-furlong workout at Santa Anita March 28, trainer Bob Baffert said his colt is "90% sure" for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) on April 3.
Baffert has been weighing both the local race and the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) on April 10 for the next start for Lookin at Lucky . The champion juvenile of 2009 and current Kentucky Derby Future Wager individual favorite worked three-quarters of a mile in 1:12 flat over the Pro-Ride main track with jockey Martin Garcia aboard.
“I was waiting to see how he came out of the work, but right now, I’d say he’s 90% sure to run here,” Baffert said before departing for Sunland Park, where he saddles another of his Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) hopefuls, undefeated Conveyance , for the $800,000 Sunland Derby (gr. III) later in the day.
Lookin At Lucky’s drill at 8:10 a.m. on a warm, sunny morning at Santa Anita was the second-fastest of 13 at the distance. He worked in company with the filly Kimmyv, who was ridden by former jockey Joey Steiner and was clocked in 1:13.40.
“He looked good. I liked what I saw,” Baffert said shortly afterward.
“We went to the 6 1/2 (furlong marker), and I was six, seven, eight (lengths) in front, kind of setting a decent pace,” recounted Steiner. “We just let Lookin At Lucky sit back and gallop along. He just picked her up on his own, and (Garcia) asked him to go just a little bit and he went by. It looked like he did it real easy. Martin’s worked him the last three times, and he said he’s doing super.”
Lookin At Lucky made his 3-year-old debut with a game head victory in the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park March 13, his first try on natural dirt. Should the son of Smart Strike--Private Feeling, by Belong to Me, win the Santa Anita Derby, he would be the first juvenile champion to win the track’s marquee race for 3-year-olds since Affirmed in 1978.
A winner of six of seven starts in his career, Lookin at Lucky leads the field of prospective Kentucky Derby starters in graded earnings with $1,390,000.
Elsewhere in Santa Anita Derby news, Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) winner Caracortado worked six furlongs in company under regular rider Paul Atkinson in 1:13.40. “He went five eighths in :59 4/5 and galloped out in 1:13,” trainer Mike Machowsky said. “Everything’s perfect. He broke off behind a maiden filly of mine that hasn’t run yet. I just wanted to give him a target.”
John Sadler moved up by one day the scheduled five-furlong work by San Vicente (gr. II) and San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) winner Sidney's Candy , who instead went seven furlongs in 1:26.20 under Rafael Bejarano. “He went well,” Sadler said. “I moved it up one day. I wanted six days into the Derby. Everything’s perfect so far.”
Skipshot worked five furlongs on the main track in a bullet :58.40 under exercise rider Marco Ramirez. “I got him in :58 4/5 and he galloped out real nice,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “At least we think he likes the race track after being here for about a week.”
The M Racing duo of Who's Up and Cardiff Giant worked five furlongs in :58.80 and six furlongs in 1:15, respectively, for trainer Mike Puhich. “We’ll see how they are in the morning and go from there,” Puhich said.
Posse Power worked a mile under John Ferzacka on the main track in 1:40.20 for trainer Frank Lucarelli. “He went really good and galloped out strong,” Lucarelli said of the bay colt who was third in the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III).
Craig Dollase said he plans to run Boulder Creek, who was a troubled fifth in the Sham Stakes (gr. III) on March 13. Tyler Baze rides. “The horse is coming into the race the right way,” Dollase said. “I’m real happy with his seven-eighths work the other day (1:26.40 on March 26). He’s sitting on a good race, and you can’t win if you’re not in.”
