Live Lucky takes the Lake Huron by three lengths under Kazushi Kimura (Michael Burns)
Chris Lomon/Woodbine Communications
TORONTO— The Ontario Sired Heritage Series got out of the gates Sunday afternoon at Woodbine with a pair of $100,000 stakes, the Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.
The five-furlong inner turf events are part of the Ontario Sired Heritage Series, an eight-leg stakes series open to Ontario-sired 3-year-olds, to be contested at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks.
First up was the Lake Huron for sophomore colts and geldings.
Fresh off a sharp 3 ¼-length score over the same surface and same distance on June 9, Live Lucky got out of the gates a step slowly, but quickly recovered and was directed to the lead by Kazushi Kimura. There was little to separate the quartet of Garofoli, Yacht Boy, Summer Commander, and Junior Hot Shot through the opening quarter reached in :22.67.
Live Lucky, a dark bay son of Perfect Timber, continued to lead the way as Summer Commander loomed a threat to his outside into the turn for home.
After putting away that rival, Live Lucky, trained by Kevin Attard, accelerated in the late stages and hit the wire a three-length winner in a time of :56.59 over an inner turf listed as firm. Junior Hot Shot was second, followed by Summer Commander, Yacht Boy and Garofoli.
“He was a first-time starter, and he was still green, but today, there was a lot of improvement,” said Kimura, of the colt owned by Exline-Border Racing LLC, Michael Jawl and Aaron Kennedy. “He was proficient from gate to wire.”
Bred by Charles Fipke, the dark bay was a $55,000 (US) purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.
“He showed some promise in the mornings before he ever won,” noted Attard. “I expected him to show some more speed that day (first start), but I think he was just a little bit nervous.
“Even Kazushi mentioned today with the pony that he was more settled, and I think it’s just maturity on his end.”
Sent off as the even-money choice, Live Lucky returned $4.30 for the win.
