Hard Luck Prayer should have target in the Unreachable Star

The gelding Hard Luck Prayer has been the star Indiana-bred 3-year-old this year, beginning the year with a win in a maiden race and winning his last two starts in stakes.

The record leaves Hard Luck Prayer as the runner to beat in Saturday’s $150,000 Unreachable Star Handicap for statebred 3-year-olds at a mile and 70 yards at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The Unreachable Star, which drew a field of 11, may develop in an ideal manner for Hard Luck Prayer, who races for Mast Thoroughbreds and trainer Robert Gorham.

Hard Luck Prayer, capable of leading or racing from a stalking position, is almost certain to have an early target in the improving gelding Socorro’s Prayer, who has won three consecutive sprints for statebreds since late July.

Socorro’s Prayer starts from the outside and will face a stamina test in the longest race of his career.

The Unreachable Star Handicap is one of four six-figure stakes for Indiana-breds on an outstanding 14-race program that also includes four six-figure stakes for Quarter Horses at the end of the day.

Hard Luck Prayer has won his last two starts with different styles of racing.

In the Governor’s Handicap for statebred 3-year-olds at a mile and 70 yards on Sept. 11, Hard Luck Prayer disputed the early lead and was passed at the end of the backstretch by the outsider Sly Guy. Hard Luck Prayer, racing on the inside, fought back from fourth entering the turn. He was second in early stretch and passed Sly Guy to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

Hard Luck Prayer’s win in the ITOBA Stallion Season Handicap at a mile and 70 yards on Sept. 30 was more straightforward. He stalked the pace to the turn before pulling clear by 5 3/4 lengths, the widest margin of victory in his 11-race career.

Jockey Andres Ulloa was aboard for those wins and has the mount in the Unreachable Star.

Saturday’s $150,000 Lady Fog Horn Handicap for 3-year-old statebred fillies at a mile and 70 yards drew 11. The competitive field is led by the runners in the outside two post positions, the last-race winners Spirited Justice and Lady Chaos.

Spirited Justice won the third stakes of her career, and first around two turns, in the ITOBA Stallion Series Fillies Handicap at a mile and 70 yards on Sept. 30 by stalking the early pace. She won by 1 3/4 lengths over Eltinge, who is part of the Lady Fog Horn Handicap field.

Lady Chaos won her first start around two turns on dirt in an allowance race for statebreds on Sept. 15 at a mile and 70 yards, closing from third. She pulled away from six rivals to win by 2 1/4 lengths as the 7-10 favorite. Lady Chaos has shown speed at times.

Saturday’s program has two $100,000 races for statebred 2-year-olds at six furlongs – the Crown Ambassador for fillies, and the Indiana Stallion Stakes.

Kansascityjustice, trained by Gorham, was second by a head in the Circle City Stakes for statebreds at six furlongs on Sept. 30 in his stakes debut and has an excellent chance to win the Crown Ambassador Stakes. In the Circle City Stakes, Kansascityjustice was beaten by Cash for Tip, who is not entered Saturday.

Prior to the Circle City, Kansascityjustice won a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs for statebreds by 13 3/4 lengths on Aug. 31, racing near the front throughout.

On Saturday, Kansascityjustice may face early pressure from Merrylegs, who led throughout a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs in his debut Sept. 21. In that race, Merrylegs raced under the name Austrian Painter, which The Jockey Club ordered changed a few days later out of concern the name could be considered offensive.

The Indiana Stallion Stakes drew nine, with projected favorite Q’s Disco Dancer starting from the inside post.

Q’s Disco Dancer is unbeaten in two starts, the latest of which was the Back Home Again Stakes for statebreds at six furlongs on Sept. 30. She closed from sixth of nine to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

In Saturday’s race, Q’s Disco Dancer has two new rivals in the recent maiden race winners Prayer for Music and I. C. U. Aggie, who have both shown ample speed.

Prayer for Music makes a quick turnaround after a maiden win by 8 1/2 lengths against statebreds at 5 1/2 furlongs on a sealed and sloppy track Oct. 14.