I Lucked Out a bit of a curiosity off layoff
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – I Lucked Out beat several of his Friday rivals when wiring a $7,500 starter allowance at Woodbine on June 21. He has been conspicuous by his subsequent absence, and it will be interesting to see if he’s ready to roll off the layoff at the same level.
I Lucked Out was claimed for $16,000 by owner TEC Racing at Turfway Park on Jan. 8, when the need-the-lead type prevailed going the 1 1/16-mile distance of Friday’s engagement. He ran the race of his life there a month later when winning a starter allowance by 10 1/2 lengths with a whopping 91 Beyer Speed Figure.
In his debut for trainer Mike Wright Jr. here on May 23, I Lucked Out got fried in a speed duel in another starter allowance. On June 21, he set quick fractions on a clear lead and held on to prevail by a neck after benefiting from an inside bias.
I Lucked Out has been working sporadically and has the speedy Chancel to contend with in Friday’s seventh race. Eswan Flores retains the mount on I Lucked Out and has excellent numbers for Wright, who doubled up last Sunday, including with a second-out maiden who had been off since the fall.
Compton and Sunrise Drive finished second and third, respectively, behind I Lucked Out on June 21 when they both ran wide against the bias.
Compton subsequently finished fifth in a first-level allowance and is coming off a wide and non-threatening fifth in a $25,000 claiming race over a speed-favoring track.
Sunrise Drive had been idle for six weeks when he finished a wide, closing second over an inside-favoring track while turning back to seven furlongs on Aug. 7. Chancel rode the bias in that race to a front-running victory.
Fraser Aebly takes over on Compton, while Pietro Moran rides Sunrise Drive. Heading into this week, Moran held a 77-67 win edge atop the jockey standings over Aebly. Rafael Hernandez, who ranked third with 56 victories, has the call on Graffiti Writer for trainer Steve Chircop.
Graffiti Writer has started twice this year, finishing third behind the imposing Alley Oop Johnny for $10,000 on the Tapeta here June 12 before winning a $10,000 conditioned claiming race on the Fort Erie grass July 27.
Completing the seventh-race lineup are Armino, Captivating Name, Commander Worsley, and Circle Back Jack.
Armino is exiting back-to-back triumphs against $7,500 claimers under Jeffrey Alderson. His trainer, Kerron Palmer, is having a career year.
Captivating Name also has a two-race winning streak on the line, taking a pair of $7,500 conditioned claiming races under journeyman Slade Callaghan.
An erratic sprinter, Commander Worsley was in poor form when he was hard-ridden from fourth to prevail in a $7,500 claiming race going seven furlongs on July 24. He has failed to crack the top two in four 1 1/16-mile starts.
Circle Back Jack hasn’t been an impact player since shipping in from Tampa Bay Downs in the spring. He will be blinkers-off.
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