Lukas takes a shot

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In jeopardy of missing out on one of Saratoga's six juvenile stakes for the second straight year, trainer D. Wayne Lukas on Friday will take two shots at claiming his seventh Grade 1 Spinaway trophy.

Lukas will send out the uncoupled entry of Be Gentle and Unbridled Beauty in the seven-furlong Spinaway, a $200,000 race that drew a field of eight 2-year-old fillies.

Since 1984, Lukas has won at least one of Saratoga's six juvenile stakes in 16 of the 19 years. He was blanked last year and is 0 for 4 this year. But both of his fillies on Friday are in with a big chance.

Unbridled Beauty, whose dam, Dreamscape, is a full sister to two-time champion sprinter Housebuster, may rate a slight edge over her stablemate. Unbridled Beauty was ultra-sharp winning her maiden by 7 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs on May 26. She was knocked off as the 1-2 favorite in the Astoria at Belmont before running a good second, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Whoopi Cat, in the Adirondack. In that race, Unbridled Beauty set rapid fractions and did well to finished a clear second. Lukas didn't like the fact Jerry Bailey sent her to the front.

"I'm hoping Bailey learned from that," Lukas said. "She's very, very manageable. Bailey's quote was she left there with her hair on fire, but she would have come right back to him."

Bailey will ride Unbridled Beauty from post 8.

Lukas thought about skipping the Spinaway with Unbridled Beauty, but said she has been doing so well lately he didn't want to wait.

"She's come out of the last one better than she went it," Lukas said. "She's sharper and better right now than she's been all summer."

Be Gentle, a daughter of Tale of the Cat, won her first two starts, including the Grade 2 Debutante at Churchill. She ran back in 19 days and caught a sloppy track when she finished fifth in the Grade 2 Schuylerville.

"I was sick when it rained," Lukas said. "Cornelio Velasquez said she just threw her head all around."

Ashado, who won the Schuylerville by three lengths on opening day, is the one to beat. Though both of her wins have come in the slop, trainer Todd Pletcher is confident she'll run equally as well on dry footing.

Daydreaming, a full sister to the juvenile graded stakes winning Accelerator, will seek to give trainer Shug McGaughey his first Spinaway victory. She won her maiden by 7 1/4 lengths, rallying from last. America America, Dixie Waltz, Stoic, and the maiden Charming Humor complete the field.