NEWS
Blind Luck sensational in Delaware Oaks thriller
Posted: Saturday, July 10, 2010 6:44 PM
BLIND LUCK
HoofprintsInc.com
For video of the Delaware Oaks, click here.
by Patrick Reed
Multiple Grade 1 winner Blind Luck added to her growing reputation as a heart-stopping deep closer and cemented her position as one of the best in her division with a last-second nose victory over Havre de Grace in the $263,200 Delaware Oaks (G2) on Saturday at Delaware Park.
The three-year-old Pollard’s Vision filly broke slowly and was well-reserved in last among a field of seven by jockey Joel Rosario through the opening half-mile before beginning her rally in the far turn. Sent five wide by Rosario, Blind Luck powered through the stretch to nip stakes-placed Havre de Grace in a thrilling finish. Blind Luck covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.34 over a sloppy track.
“Blind Luck got away a little slow, and sometimes she does that,” winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “You know, the good ones just find a way to get there.
“She has been beaten before, but she is a very good filly and she just finds a way to get there. We are very grateful and very thankful, and we’re still looking at the Alabama Stakes [(G1) at Saratoga Race Course on August 21] for her next start.”
Havre de Grace pulled ahead of pacesetter Derwin’s Star in the final furlong but lost a gut-wrenching photo finish to Blind Luck. Derwin’s Star finished another 1 ½ lengths behind in third.
California-based Blind Luck, winner of the Oak Leaf (G1) and Hollywood Starlet (G1) Stakes as a two-year-old, has been even more sensational this year while navigating a challenging, travel-intensive campaign for Hollendorfer. She returned to racing on February 13 at Santa Anita Park with a fast-closing nose victory over Evening Jewel in the Las Virgenes Stakes (G1).
Blind Luck’s next rally came up short as she finished third in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) on March 6 but, after being shipped East, she rebounded with an impressive 2 ½-length win in the Fantasy Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park on April 2 before closing resolutely through Churchill Downs’ long stretch to defeat Evening Jewel by a nose yet again in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on April 30.
Sent back to California, Blind Luck finished second in the Hollywood Oaks (G2) on June 6 at Hollywood Park. Blind Luck’s victory on Saturday at odds of 1-to-5 improved her overall record to eight wins from 12 starts and earnings of $1,578,712, and she has now won Grade 1 or Grade 2 stakes at five different racetracks. Bred in Kentucky by Fairlawn Farm, Blind Luck is the only foal to race of the winning Best of Luck mare Lucky One.
Earlier on Saturday’s card, Trickmeister proved he could handle route distances as he broke sharply and never was headed in a wire-to-wire victory in the $105,700 Barbaro Stakes. (video)
The three-year-old Proud Citizen colt, owned by Brereton Jones and Timothy Thornton and trained by Cindy Jones, improved his career record to a perfect three wins from as many starts with earnings of $106,200.
Following two sharp victories traveling six furlongs at Delaware, Trickmeister stretched out with aplomb on Saturday under Gabriel Saez, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.32.
Stakes-placed Not Abroad closed well to finish 1 ½ lengths behind the winner in second. Northern Dancer Stakes (G3) winner Colizeo encountered trouble in midstretch and had to check when Trickmeister drifted in slightly but still finished third, 2 ¼ lengths behind Not Abroad.
“I love this horse,” Jones said of Trickmeister following his impressive win. “I am predicting that by the end of the year, he will be our big horse. For his first time going long combined with the sloppy track, he was really impressive. He answered all of those questions today. Things could not have gone any better.”
For Equibase charts, click here.
Patrick Reed is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Jack, Baltimore, MD on July 10, 2010 at 07:20 PM
An outstanding 3yr.old filly. Blind Luck really has become the cream of the 3yr.old filly crop in 2010. She likes to rate off of the pace, then come with a strong closing kick. She had a lot of ground to make up in the slop at Delaware Park today. That refuse to lose attitude she races with is exactly what got her home just in time to win the photo for first place. As well as Blind Luck handle's conventional dirt. It will not surprise me at all if this talented 3yr.old filly wins the 2010 Breeders Cup Ladies Classic at Churchill Downs come November. JMO.
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