You Luckie Mann fearsome off last

Even if You Luckie Mann had been fully cranked up for his last start, it s still unlikely he would have been any match for Notonthesamepage, who ran a freakishly fast race in the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park. But as good as You Luckie Mann ran in that race, finishing second, his trainer, Marty Wolfson, thinks he can move forward on Saturday. And if Wolfson is right, You Luckie Mann will prove a formidable opponent in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash at Gulfstream.

The Dash, for 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the dirt, drew a field of 11, only two of whom were bred in California. You Luckie Mann heads a strong Florida-bred contingent of nine that also includes the unbeaten Ju Jitsu Jax, and California-based invaders Backbackbackgone and Kelly Leak.

You Luckie Mann had been idle for 2 1/2 months going into the Spectacular Bid, following an 11-length romp in the Birdonthewire Stakes at Calder.

He lost a lot of time after that race, Wolfson said from Calder on Thursday morning. He had an ulcer in an eye, but I could never figure out how he got it, because he was in front the whole way. He missed about three weeks of training. He s a big horse, built like a Quarter Horse. I liked his last race a lot, because he sat off the pace.

You Luckie Mann will have to be similarly patient in the Dash. He landed the outside post in the field of 11.

I didn t want to be inside, Wolfson said. I ve had a lot of bad luck this meet with that post.

Ju Jitsu Jax won all three of his starts last year at Delaware and Laurel. He was entered twice since then in stakes races, but was scratched at Charles Town and then had a race canceled because of track conditions at Penn National. So, he comes into the Dash not having run since Nov. 8.

I would have preferred to have gotten a race into him, his trainer, Scott Lake, said Thursday. He s worked a whole bunch of times, and every work has been better than the last.

Ju Jitsu Jax is versatile. He led from gate to wire in two wins, and rallied after a poor start to beat a first-level allowance field.

He broke to his right and was immediately six lengths out of it that day, Lake said.

Backbackbackgone has won 4 of 5 starts, his lone loss coming when stretched out to seven furlongs in the Hollywood Prevue. His best race might have been his first race, when he crushed maidens by 10 lengths going just 4 1/2 furlongs on dirt, the type of surface used at Gulfstream.

He trains on regular dirt at San Luis Rey Downs, and he s always trained great on it, said his trainer, Peter Miller. His first race was one of his best races. I m excited to get him back on a natural surface.

There s quite a bit of speed outside him. I d like to see him sit third or fourth. We ll leave the heavy lifting to someone else.

Kelly Leak has finished second in his last two starts, and was disqualified from a stakes win last summer at Del Mar. This will be his first start on dirt.