Breaking Lucky eyes Durham Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Breaking Lucky returned to Woodbine last week after his close fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 3 and will be pointed toward the Grade 3, $150,000 Durham Cup over 1 1/8 miles on Tapeta here on Sept. 24, trainer Reade Baker said.

“If everything’s 100 percent, we’ll run him here in the Durham,” he said.

Baker said Breaking Lucky returned to Woodbine in good order after earning a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure in the Woodward, but the short turnaround is a concern.

“Everything seems perfect right now,” he said. “It’s going to have to be perfect to run there if he’s going to be coming back in three weeks.”

Baker said Breaking Lucky also would be nominated to the $175,000 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs on Oct. 1 and the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 8, but the Durham Cup likely will be his next start.