Lookin At Lucky

Lookin At Lucky
255px Lookin At Lucky at 2009 Breeder's Cup Juvenile
Sire	Smart Strike
Grandsire	Mr. Prospector
Dam	Private Feeling
Damsire	Belong To Me
Sex	Colt
Foaled	2007
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Gulf Coast Farms
Owner	Coolmore Stud
Trainer	Bob Baffert
Record	13: 9-1-1
Earnings	US$3,307,278
Major wins
Best Pal Stakes (2009) Del Mar Futurity (2009) Norfolk Stakes (2009) CashCall Futurity (2009) Rebel Stakes (2010) Haskell Invitational (2010) Indiana Derby (2010) Triple Crown classic race wins: Preakness Stakes (2010)
Awards
American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (2009) American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse (2010)

Lookin At Lucky (foaled May 27, 2007 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 2010 Preakness Stakes. Sired by Smart Strike, a half brother to Canadian Triple Crown Winner Dance Smartly, his dam, Private Feeling, was sired by Belong To Me by the North American Leading Sire of 1993, Danzig.

Lookin At Lucky proved to be the best three-year-old in training by winning the 2010 Eclipse Award as division champion being named American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse. He dominated the voting that year; Lookin At Lucky, 224 votes; Eskendereya, 5 votes; Paddy O'Prado, 1 vote. As the award was presented January 2011, it was announced that Lookin At Lucky had become the first horse in 32 years to be named the champion of his division at both age two and age three. No other horse had accomplished such a feat since Spectacular Bid did it 1978 and 1979.

Early career

Bred by Gulf Coast Farms, Lookin At Lucky was bought back as a yearling for $35,000 at the 2008 Keeneland September Sale. After working 1/8 of a mile in 10 seconds, Lookin at Lucky was bought by popular trainer Bob Baffert at the 2009 Keeneland April Sale for $475,000. Lookin At Lucky raced for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman.

Two-year-old Season

Maiden Race

• Lookin At Lucky broke his maiden at the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park on July 11, going 6 furlongs.

Best Pal Stakes

• He followed up this win in the Grade II Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. Ridden by Garrett Gomez he finished the six and a half furlongs in a time of 1:16.06.

Del Mar Futurity Stakes

• His handlers then decided to try the 7 furlong, Grade I, Del Mar Futurity Stakes, with Garrett Gomez again in the saddle he won in final time of 1:22.85.

Norfolk Stakes

• During the Oak Tree Racing Association meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, Lookin At Lucky solidified his entrance into the 2009 Breeders' Cup Juvenile by winning the Grade I Norfolk Stakes at a distance of 1​¹⁄₁₆ miles (8.5 furlongs). He finished in a final time of 1:43.11 in a full field of 12.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile

• Going off as the favorite from post 13, Lookin At Lucky had a difficult trip and finished second by a head behind the long shot European winner, Vale of York.

CashCall Futurity

• On December 19, Lookin At Lucky sealed American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors with a win over chief rival Noble's Promise in the CashCall Futurity.

Three-year-old Season

Rebel Stakes

• On March 13, Lookin At Lucky made his three-year-old debut at Oaklawn Park with a win in the Rebel Stakes. He won by a head over arch-rival Noble's Promise, even though he stumbled badly during the run down the backstretch.

Santa Anita Derby

• On April 3, he had a horrendous trip under Garrett Gomez in the Santa Anita Derby. Bumped, jostled and virtually ridden into the fence, Lookin At Lucky finished third.

Kentucky Derby

• Going into the 2010 Kentucky Derby, Lookin At Lucky was made the favorite after the scratch of Eskendereya. Drawing the number one inside post, he was pinned to the rail and had nowhere to go until a late run to wind up sixth, making it his first off-the-board finish.

Preakness Stakes

• After a disappointing Kentucky Derby finish, trainer Bob Baffert turned to young jockey Martin Garcia and fired Garrett Gomez after three consecutive races where the veteran jockey could not keep the horse out of trouble. On May 15, Garcia rode Lookin At Lucky to a win in the 135th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Lookin At Lucky went off as the 2–1 second choice and paid $6.80 to win in a time of 1:55.47, holding off pacesetter First Dude and the late-charging Jackson Bend.

Haskell Invitational Handicap

• Martin Garcia rode Lookin At Lucky again in the Haskell Invitational. The 6-5 favorite, he broke a bit awkwardly, but Garcia steadied him and positioned him three wide on the first turn. Entering the far turn while still 3 paths wide, he moved past his competitors, winning the race by four lengths over upcoming Trappe Shot, followed by First Dude and Super Saver, the Kentucky Derby winner. He received a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure for the most dominant performance of his career.

Indiana Derby

• Lookin at Lucky developed an illness after the Haskell and missed a month of training. Regrouping, Baffert pointed his star toward the Indiana Derby, held at small Hoosier Park. Lookin At Lucky drew post position 6 in a field of nine horses and became the overwhelming favorite at odds of 2-5. He broke well but fell back to last early in the race and around the first turn. Still in eighth place on the backstretch, Lookin At Lucky came five-wide around the far turn, caught the leader in late home-stretch and won by 1​¹⁄₄ lengths. He earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure for his performance.

Breeders Cup Classic

• After his win in the Indiana Derby, Baffert pointed the horse toward the 27th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic. Lookin At Lucky trained well but was compromised by a "minor infection and a cough" a week before the race. "I had to treat him with antibiotics, and sometimes that's hard on a horses system," Baffert said. Lookin At Lucky was healthy for the race, but was placed farther back than usual early and finished fourth.

At stud

In November 2010, he was purchased by Coolmore Stud and retired. Lookin At Lucky was retired to Coolmore's Ashford Stud near Versailles, Kentucky shortly after his run in the Breeders Cup. His first foal was born in the Royal Pegasus Farm out of Awesome. He currently serves as a "shuttle stallion", traveling to Coolmore's Australian operations during the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Lookin At Lucky

Sire Smart Strike	Mr. Prospector	Raise a Native	Native Dancer
			Raise You
		Gold Digger	Nashua
			Sequence
	Classy 'n Smart	Smarten	Cyane
			Smartaire
		No Class	Nodouble
			Classy Quillo
Dam Private Feeling	Belong To Me	Danzig	Northern Dancer
			Pas de Nom
		Belonging	Exclusive Native
			Straight Deal
	Regal Feeling	Clever Trick	Icecapade
			Kankakee Miss
		Sharp Belle	Native Charger
			Sleek Dancer

References

• Lookin At Lucky's pedigree and racing stats
• Lookin At Lucky at Coolmore Stud