Gulfstream: Prince Lucky Comes Back Running in Saturday’s Hal’s Hope (G3)

By David Joseph —-

Prince Lucky; Lauren King Photos

Prince Lucky Comes Back Running in Saturday’s Hal’s Hope (G3)

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Daniel McConnell’s Prince Lucky was the beneficiary of a perfect trip Saturday at Gulfstream Park, but there was nothing lucky about his dominating triumph in the $100,000 Hal’s Hope (G3).

Returning from an 8 ½-month layoff, the Todd Pletcher-trained 4-year-old gelding captured his first graded-stakes race, scoring by six lengths while running a mile around one turn in 1:3484. The Pletcher-trained Copper Town, the 2-1 second choice in a field of eight older horses, finished second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Quip.

“We just felt like the distance suited him well, he was doing well, and then he drew a really favorable post position for him,” Pletcher said. “I was happy to see him come back strong off the layoff, and hopefully bigger and better things to come.”

After an alert break from his outside post, Prince Lucky ($17.60) provided jockey John Velazquez with a perfect vantage point to monitor the early speed duel between Copper Town and Quip, who set fractions of 23.07 and 45 seconds for the first half mile. Copper Town edged clear to take the lead at the top of the stretch but would have no answer for the outside challenge of Prince Lucky.

“I knew my other horse in Todd’s entry had speed, but my horse was doing it easy. I was just sitting on my horse and watched those horses and how they were doing,” Velazquez said. “He kind of jogged me little by little to where I was and when I asked him, he ran very good.”

Prince Lucky won three of his four career starts last year, including a triumph in the $120,000 Pennsylvania Nursery at Parx for trainer Larry Jones. Transferred to Pletcher following an off-the-board finish in the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds, the Pennsylvania-bred gelding finished off-the-board in the Sunland Park Derby (G3), finished third in the Sir Barton at Pimlico and won the Easy Goer on the Belmont Stakes (G1) undercard June 8 before going to the sidelines.

The $300,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2 March 30) is the immediate goal for Prince Lucky.
“I would say with Prince Lucky we’d look at the Gulfstream Park Mile on Florida Derby day, if he bounces out of it well,” Pletcher said. “I don’t’ think he’s limited to that, I just think it’s a good distance to start him back at.”

Copper Town bobbled at the start of the Hal’s Hope but quickly got into stride to duel with Quip.
“Copper Town again didn’t get away real cleanly. He kind of bobbled at the start and recovered and put himself in a good position, but was just second-best on the day,” Pletcher said.

Breaking Lucky, the 9-5 favorite ridden by Luis Saez, stalked the pace from the inside but faded to last.

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry. For more information contact David Joseph at david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com or call 954.457.6451.