Lucky Player prevailed in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes on Saturday at Churchill DOwns. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire) 

Lucky Player flashed an impressive combination of talent and competitive fire on Saturday at Churchill Downs en route to a hard-fought victory in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes.

The bay colt by 2010 Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky took charge early in the stretch before Bold Conquest seized a narrow lead with a powerful rally from off the pace. Lucky Player, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., would not be denied, however, and fought back determinedly to win the 1 1/16-mile race by a neck.

The $115,5000 race for 2-year-olds drew a field of nine, led by Sanford and Saratoga Special Stakes runner-up Mr. Z, who was sent off as the 1.30-to-1 favorite.

Mr. Z went right to the front and set an easy pace through a half-mile in :49.51 before fading near the top of the stretch. Lucky Player, who tracked in second throughout, charged past and soon was joined by Bold Conquest. The duo battled to the finish line with Lucky Player inching ahead late at11/50-to-1 odds for his second win in four starts.

Lucky Player won his career debut in May at Churchill Downs in a 5-furlong sprint before finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes, also at Churchill, ion June 28. He entered the Iroquois of a runner-up finish by a neck in the Prairie Meadows Juvenile Mile Stakes on Aug. 9. Steve Asmussen trains Lucky Player for owner Jerry Durant and also trains Bold Conquest.

“Lucky Player was laying extremely well, he was in a perfect spot,” Assmussen said. “Ricardo [Santana] gave him a great trip. I think he benefitted a lot from his two-turn race that he had previously [Prairie Juvenile Mile], and then Bold Conquest, I think he was a little wide early, not a lot of pace but he still continued well.”

Lucky Player is from the first crop of Lookin At Lucky, who earned $3,307,278 while winning nine of 13 starts, including five Grade 1 victories. Lucky Player’s dam (mother) is the Storm Cat mare Janetstickettocats, a half-sister (same dam [mother], different sire [father]) to 2004 Darley Alcibiades Stakes winner Runway Model.

“I think with Lucky Player, with four races already, and a different type, [and] Bold Conquest being a bigger and heavier horse with the two turns, he would most likely come back sooner,” Asmussen said. “We’ll see how they come out of this, attitude-wise, and see how they go back to the track.”

For an Equibase chart, click here.

LUCKY PLAYER OUTDUELS STABLEMATE IN IROQUOIS

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire