She’s Lookin Lucky was a pretty good dirt horse. She finished fourth in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks two summers ago and got as high as 88 on the Beyer Speed Figure scale. But her trainer, Matt Shirer, thought untapped talent remained. In 2024 he focused on turf racing with She’s Lookin Lucky, and she has turned out to be an even better grass horse. Surface preference established, She’s Lookin Lucky, from all appearances, starts what should be a very productive 5-year-old season in the featured eighth race Wednesday at Churchill Downs. She ended last year on a high note finishing second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the $265,000 Cardinal Stakes over the Churchill grass course. She’s Lookin Lucky did bank $254,000 last season, but she also left money on the table. The good second in the Cardinal came after She’s Lookin Lucky won a $136,000 Churchill allowance race but was disqualified and placed third, and after she finished second by a head in the $464,000 One Dreamer at Kentucky Downs. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports She’s Lookin Lucky, having taken that disqualification, remains eligible for a third-level allowance, and that’s where she shows up Wednesday in a one-mile contest restricted to females. Five others were entered, including in-form Pharoah’s Wine, the 2-1 morning-line favorite; Watch This Birdie, a two-time winner from three Churchill turf starts, though only sixth in the Cardinal; likely pacesetter Hamwood Flier, Grade 2-placed in California; and two others with more than a puncher’s chance, Lucky Speech and Sabalenka. She’s Lookin Lucky can beat them all if she’s even just the same horse as last year, and the mare looks like the physical type to fully mature as a 5-year-old. And while She’s Lookin Lucky’s blood could run hot in past seasons, Shirer sees a more mature mare. He’s gotten four Churchill grass works into a horse he expects to return at about 90 percent of her peak. “I think she’s close. The goal isn’t necessarily to get her ready for a three-other-than. Kind of ease her back into things,” Shirer said. She’s Lookin Lucky might look even better if the Wednesday feature gets rained onto dirt, a possibility given the forecast. The Churchill course has taken water very well this spring. Pharoah’s Wine, making the fourth start of her form cycle, obviously holds a recency edge on She’s Lookin Lucky. From 13 starts she’s turned in two performances that would merit support at such a short price, the Valley View last fall at Keeneland and her most recent start, a second-level turf allowance win over the Churchill course. Pharoah’s Wine did get a favorable setup in that victory and to date has regressed after peak efforts. Hamwood Flier made four starts in Ireland and her other 10 in California and tries Kentucky racing for the first time. Peter Eurton, who took over her training just this season, sent Hamwood Flier to Keeneland shortly after she returned from a three-month layoff April 26 and finished ninth in the Grade 3 Royal Heroine. Hamwood Flier came screaming out of post 11 and ran onto a fast pace, giving her an excuse for a fading comeback start, and with a loose lead Wednesday she could prove dangerous. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.