(from Santa Anita track notes)
Wearing blinkers for the first time, multiple grade I winner Lookin At Lucky worked four furlongs on Pro-Ride at Santa Anita Jan. 9 in preparation for his 3-year-old debut, probably in the San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) on March 13.
With regular rider Garrett Gomez aboard, the son of Smart Strike--Private Feeling (by Belong to Me) was clocked in :47.40, working in company with Indian Firewater, who was timed in :48.20.
“Gomez felt the horse might need blinkers,” Baffert said, “because when he makes the lead, he feels like a sitting duck. Today, I worked him behind a horse, and as soon as he got by his workmate -- usually, he shuts it down. But today he just kept on going. Garrett likes him better with the blinkers. It just keeps him focused. If he goes in the San Felipe, he would wear them.”
The move was the first official drill for Lookin At Lucky since winning the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) at Hollywood Park on Dec. 19. Lookin At Lucky is one of three finalists for an Eclipse Award as outstanding male 2-year-old of 2009. His lone loss in five starts came in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I), when he missed by a head to longshot Vale of York.
Lookin At Lucky, the Kentucky Derby Future Book favorite, also had grade I wins in the Del Mar Futurity and the Norfolk Stakes last year. He has earned $1,243,000.
