Better Lucky closes strong to upset Shine Again

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Better Lucky rallied from far back, eventually wearing down an unlucky Grace Hall to register a head victory in Monday’s $100,000 Shine Again, a restricted stakes that featured three Grade 1 winners in a field of just four older fillies and mares.

Better Lucky, whose Grade 1 win came on grass last fall in Keeneland’s First Lady, was competing on dirt for the first time since winning an allowance race at Belmont in May 2012. With jockey Javier Castellano aboard, Better Lucky dropped more than a dozen lengths off the rapid pace of Bridgehampton during the opening half-mile of the seven-furlong Shine Again, rallied three wide while advancing into the stretch, eased out toward the middle of the track to continue her bid, and caught the 6-5 favorite Grace Hall in the closing strides.

Grace Hall, who captured the Grade 1 Spinaway here at 2, raced within easy striking distance of the lead and was making what appeared to be a winning bid when bumped by My Miss Aurelia while trying to split horses near the eighth pole. Grace Hall re-rallied once regaining her best stride, struck the front in late stretch, but could not withstand the winner’s final surge.

My Miss Aurelia, a three-time Grade 1 winner, tracked the pace while racing outside Grace Hall, bumped soundly with that rival while joining for command approaching the eighth pole, brushed again with Bridghampton at midstretch, and succumbed grudgingly, finishing another half-length further back in third. Bridghampton also faltered near the end, finishing fourth and last but less than two lengths behind the winner.

Better Lucky, a 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper, is trained by Tom Albertrani for Godolphin Racing. She returned $12.20 as the longest price on the board after completing the distance in 1:22.56 over a fast track.

“I was getting a little concerned [when she was so far back] until I saw the 44 and change pop up there,” Albertrani said. “I thought she would close, it was just a matter if she would get there in time. When she turned for home, I could see she was getting closer and closer and at the eighth pole I knew she was going to get there. It worked out perfectly. Javier and I talked about the race setting up that way for her, and it went just the way we planned.”

Albertrani said it’s the distance, not the surface, that’s key for Better Lucky.

“I think seven-eighths to a mile is her best distance,” Albertrani said. “We’ve seen her win on three types of surfaces now. She’s such a talented filly. She was on her game today, and hopefully we can use this race as a stepping-stone to the Ballerina.”

The Grade 1 Ballerina will be run over the main track on Travers Day, Aug. 23.