Lucky Gamble on mini-streak
ELMONT, N.Y. - The fastest horses on the last Thursday card of the fall meet are in race 3, a six-furlong starter handicap with a purse of $30,000. A field of five older males was drawn Sunday, but 48 hours later Scott Lake revealed that The Student, an 18-time winner and the high weight at 124 pounds, would not make the trip from Delaware Park.
"He's not going to run," said Lake. "He was training [Tuesday] morning and he bled pretty good. He's going to the farm."
The Student had drawn the outside post, so that position will go to Lucky Gamble, a winner of five races this year, including both starts since being claimed by Bruce Levine.
"I claimed him and brought him to Saratoga, but we couldn't get a race to go," said Levine. "Then he won at Monmouth, so I just kept him there."
After winning a $35,000 claiming sprint with a Beyer Speed Figure of 99, Lucky Gamble returned seven weeks later in a $46,000 optional claimer with third-level conditions, and squeezed through on the rail entering the stretch to prevail after a long drive.
Breaking inside Lucky Gamble, from the rail out, are: Stonewood, Ed Miracle, and Mountain General.
Stonewood has been sidelined for nearly four months since being claimed, but has a history of running well fresh and has worked regularly for new trainer Scott Blasi.
Ed Miracle also returns from a layoff with a trainer change, making his first start since mid-July for Linda Rice.
Mountain General, 8, an earner of more than $739,000, makes his 61st start. He is coming off a nose loss for $25,000 second time off the claim by Rene Araya.
According to stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, some contenders for Saturday's New York Showcase card are:
Empire Classic - Funny Cide, Carminooch, Indian Hawke, Naughty New Yorker, Organizer, Run Red Run, West Virginia, and Spite the Devil.
Mohawk - Certifiably Crazy, Retribution, Golden Commander, Foreverness, Pa Pa Da, Classic Fran, and possibly Dave and/or Continental Reins.
Ticonderoga - Finlandia, Sabellina, Elisa's Energy, Half Heaven, Rahy's Appeal, and possibly Homerette and/or Cayuga's Waters.
Hudson - Ferocious Fires, Gold and Roses, Papua, Sharp Humor, Casper Peterson.
Iroquois - Gold Like U, Summer Palace, Zippy Shannon, No Reason, Her Royal Nibs.
Sleepy Hollow - Bad Boy Rising, Baxter, Good Prospect, Karakorum Cobra, Lunatrick, Motor West, Solid Strike.
Maid of the Mist - Win With a Wink, Laurentide Ice, Grand Merger, Caught Red Handed, One Tough Belle.