Lukes Alley eyes repeat in Autumn Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Lukes Alley, the 2014 Canadian champion older male, will try to win the Grade 2, $200,000 Autumn Stakes for the second year in a row Nov. 8, trainer Josie Carroll said.

The lightly raced 5-year-old won his first start of the season by 2 3/4 lengths on Sept. 12 in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race on Polytrack, earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure. He tried to repeat in the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes on Oct. 3 but couldn’t hold off Golden Sabre in deep stretch.

Carroll said Lukes Alley might not have been at this best while running back in the Durham Cup just three weeks after his seasonal debut.

“I think maybe the Durham was a little quick back off of the prep in three weeks, running the big number that he did,” she said. “He maybe bounced just a little bit. Hopefully, we’ll see big things from him in the Autumn.”

Carroll said Lukes Alley has come out of the Durham Cup in good order. He has recorded two published works since the Durham Cup, most recently covering five furlongs in 1:00.60 on the main track here last Wednesday.