Kentucky stallions: Lookin At Lucky enjoys career season

Lookin At Lucky had a career year in 2018 and capped it by coming within a length of a historic accomplishment.

Lookin At Lucky, who is based at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud and also shuttles to Chile, was led on the season by five-time Grade 1 winner and Horse of the Year finalist Accelerate. Accelerate concluded his campaign with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, becoming the first Breeders’ Cup winner for his sire. Earlier that afternoon, Lookin At Lucky’s Chilean champion Wow Cat had nearly broken through in that regard, coming within a length of catching Monomoy Girl in the BC Distaff.

Lookin At Lucky would have been the first sire to pull the Classic-Distaff double in the same season. Awesome Again, Saint Ballado, Storm Cat, Street Cry, and Unbridled’s Song are the only horses to sire winners of both races, but in different years. Awesome Again sired 2004 Classic winner Ghostzapper, followed by Distaff winners Round Pond (2006) and Ginger Punch (2007). Saint Ballado was represented by 2004 Distaff winner Ashado and 2005 Classic winner Saint Liam. Storm Cat sired 1999 Classic winner Cat Thief, followed a decade later by 2009 Distaff winner Life Is Sweet. That same year, Street Cry’s great Zenyatta won the Classic after taking the Distaff the year prior. Unbridled’s Song sired a trio of Distaff winners in Unbridled Elaine (2001), Unrivaled Belle (2010), and Forever Unbridled (2017), as well as Classic winner Arrogate (2016).

In addition to Accelerate and Wow Cat, Lookin At Lucky was represented in 2018 by Chilean Group 1 winners Dafonda, Diane, El Picaro, and La Canita, Grade 2 winners Dr. Dorr and Money Multiplier, and Grade 3 winner Lookin to Strike. The stallion has a chance to get his 2019 off on a strong foot, as Accelerate is expected to start in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 26. Meanwhile, Wow Cat is expected back for a full campaign this season.