Not all Grade 1 horses actually win a Grade 1 race. Horses like Broken Vow and Tale of the Cat come immediately to mind as runners who ran huge races at the Grade 2 and 3 levels but fell a little short of their best when on the Grade 1 stage. Itmyluckyday was in danger of falling into that category until his gutsy win in the August 30 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
Itsmyluckyday was first on our radar 18 months ago after he upset the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) on the 2013 Triple Crown trail and he’s been a remarkably consistent runner since. The Eddie Pleasa trainee has been first or second in seven of his subsequent 10 starts, including completing the exacta in a trio of Grade 1 events prior to the Woodward. He was actually sent off as the public choice in last year’s Florida Derby (G1), only to succumb to the late rush of eventual Derby champ Orb. He bested that rival in the Preakness Stakes (G1) but still had to settle for second behind Gary Stevens and Oxbow. He made his Saratoga debut in the Whitney Handicap (G1) earlier in August and was second again, this time to Moreno, who he defeated after a bumpy stretch duel in the Woodward. Itsmluckyday has now won nine of his 19 lifetime starts, earned over $1.6 million and has at least two stakes victories in each of his three seasons on the track.
Spendthrift Farm also saw the Grade 1 quality in Itsmyluckyday before his breakthrough win. In the days leading up to the Woodward the farm that stands Malibu Moon, Tiz Wonderful and Into Mischief among others announced the horse to their 2015 roster. Itsmyluckyday is a son of the late Lawyer Ron, a grandson of the great Danzig, whose sireline has been resurgent in North America the past five years with stallions like War Front and Hard Spun. Itsmyluckyday will get every chance to be the next good one from this line, especially now that breeders see that G1 next to his name.
-originally posted on http://www.myfantasystable.com
Matt O'Neil Consulting 