Grade Three Winner for Lookin At Lucky

Promising colt Lucky Player (2c Lookin At Lucky x Janetstickettocats, by Storm Cat) stepped it up a notch at the weekend when taking out the $115,500 Grade III Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs and stamping his ticket to the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

A winner on debut at the same venue back in May, the Steve Asmussen trained colt was fourth and second in two subsequent outings in Black Type races before trying his luck in this 1 and 1/16th mile event.

“I was pretty confident going into this race,” revealed winning rider Ricardo Santana, Jr.

“When I rode him at Prairie Meadows and he came down the stretch and saw all the lights, I think he almost got caught in it a little bit. I had more confidence in him running during the day. He’s a nice horse. I told Mr. Asmussen after I broke his maiden here that I definitely wanted to ride him again.”

Raced by Jerry Durant, Lucky Player is the first winner for Janetstickettocats, a half-sister by Storm Cat to Grade II winner Runway Model.

Lucky Player is the third stakes-winner and first graded stakes-winner for Champion Two and Three Year Old Colt Lookin At Lucky joining Four Leaf Chief and Spider's Alibi.