Lookin At Lee up late in Downs at Albuquerque Handicap

Lookin At Lee, who was the runner-up to Always Dreaming in the 2017 Kentucky Derby, won the richest race of his career Saturday night when he pushed past Bokeelia Island nearing the wire in the $200,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap. Lookin At Lee won by a half-length over that rival, while it was another 3 1/4 lengths back to 1-2 favorite and pacesetter Pendleton in third.

The Albuquerque Handicap, at 1 1/8 miles, was the New Mexico meet’s richest offering for Thoroughbreds.

Lookin At Lee ($9) lagged off the pace set by Pendleton, who, on the muddy, sealed track took the field through an opening quarter in 24.37 seconds, a half-mile in 47.45 and six furlongs in 1:11.51. Bokeelia Island moved past the leader in the stretch and seemed on his way to victory, but Lookin At Lee made a steady advance along the rail and got there in time, covering the mile and an eighth in 1:51.76.

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“I said, ‘Oh man, we’re going to get it,’” winning rider Alfredo Juarez Jr., recounted of the stretch drive in a post-race interview on the simulcast feed from Albuquerque. "His long, long stride and we made it!”

Steve Asmussen trains Lookin At Lee for L and N Racing. The horse was winning the second stakes race of his career, behind the Ellis Park Juvenile at 2. Lookin At Lee, who is now 5, gave Asmussen his 8,000th Thoroughbred win in North America last May in an allowance on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby.

Lookin At Lee has now won 4 of 25 starts and the first-place check of $124,000 on Saturday night pushed his earnings past $1.3 million. Lookin At Lee is a son of Lookin At Lucky who came into the Albuquerque Handicap off a runner-up finish to Pendleton in the $75,000 San Juan County Commissioners Handicap at SunRay Park. Lookin At Lee in May ran second in the $150,000 Sunland Park Handicap. For the Albuquerque Handicap, he invaded from Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

The field Saturday night was scratched down to five with the defection of Oh So Regal.