Itsmyluckyday, Vyjack both going to Cigar Mile

ELMONT, N.Y. – Itsmyluckyday, third as the 3-5 favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont, will not be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup and instead will make his next start in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 29, trainer Eddie Plesa said Monday.

Itsmyluckyday was to leave Monmouth Park by van Monday and ship to Calder, where he will train. The Cigar Mile is expected to be Itsmyluckyday’s final start before he goes to Spendthrift Farm to stand at stud.

Plesa said Itsmyluckyday, the winner of the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga, came out of the Kelso sound but “more tired” than he had been after his previous races.

“Maybe his schedule going into that race and whatever else affected him,” Plesa said, noting that Itsmyluckyday ran in both the Whitney and Woodward. “I was disappointed he didn’t win, but I wasn’t disappointed in his effort. Horses aren’t machines.”

As a Grade 1 winner, Itsmyluckyday will be running for the winner’s share of $750,000 in the Cigar Mile. The Cigar Mile carries a base purse of $500,000. Grade 1 winners run for $750,000, and Breeders’ Cup winners run for $1 million.

Vyjack, the upset winner of the Kelso, also is skipping the Breeders’ Cup to point to the Cigar Mile, his connections confirmed Sunday.

Plans for River Rocks, the Kelso runner-up, are in flux, trainer John Terranova said. River Rocks is not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup and would have to be supplemented to either the Sprint or Dirt Mile should his connections decide to run in one of those races.

Another plan could be the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler at Belmont on Oct. 25, followed by the Cigar Mile.

Terranova said River Rocks came out of the race in good order and that he would speak with his owners, who are traveling overseas.