Lucky provides Baffert with ninth Del Mar Futurity

Lookin at Lucky is perfect from three starts (Benoit Photo) If the finish of Monday's $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) looked a lot like that of the August 9 Best Pal S. (G2), your eyes were not deceiving you. In a virtual replay of that 6 1/2-furlong prep for Del Mar's signature juvenile event, LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Smart Strike) wore down the speedy Smiling Tiger (Hold That Tiger) then easily repulsed a late bit by Make Music for Me (Bernstein) to give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his ninth win in the past 14 runnings of the seven-furlong event. The even-money choice in the field of nine, Lookin at Lucky returned $4, $3 and $2.40. "It's like the good old days," said Baffert, who was recording his fifth Grade 1 victory of the meet. "This horse was in tight most of the way and he learned a lot today. He's quite a horse. I wasn't worried about drawing the rail. He has the speed to get himself in a good place.

"He's right there with Midshipman (Unbridled's Song) in that sense," the

trainer added, alluding to last year's Del Mar Futurity winner who went on to

take the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and be named champion two-year-old male.

Sterling Outlook (Eurosilver) and Smiling Tiger alternated leads through an

opening quarter in :23 and a half-mile in :46. Breaking from post 1, Lookin at

Lucky was content to rate near the back under Garrett Gomez down the backside,

but began to advance through the field while hugging the rail around the far

turn. Turning for home, Lookin at Lucky moved off the inside and split the two

leaders to take control and drew off for a one-length victory in a time of 1:22

4/5.

"In these big races, you've got to take what they give you," Gomez said. "I

was down inside and I didn't have much choice. I had to ride it the way it came

up. I did have a little flashback to yesterday (when he was stuck down inside in

the Pacific Classic [G1] with fifth-place finisher Colonel John [Tiznow] and

never got a good chance to get out).

"I wasn't liking my position," Gomez admitted. "But if you have a good horse,

you can do a lot of things. If you sit down inside there long enough, something

is going to happen for you. And I waited and waited and then I was able to push

my way out and get him loose. He's a good horse and good horses can make you

look good."

The fast-closing Make Music for Me, the 6-1 third choice, was up to claim

second by a half-length and gave back $4.60 and $4. Smiling Tiger, at 13-1,

prevailed by a length over Sterling Outlook for the show and paid $4.80. The $1

exotics were worth $10.70 (exacta), $56.80 (trifecta) and $156.40 (1-5-4-7

superfecta). Hurricane Ike (Graeme Hall), Zip Quik (City Zip), Who's Up (Graeme

Hall), Champagne d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) and Marcello (Johannesburg) completed

the order of finish.

A winner at first asking by three-quarters of a length at Hollywood Park on

July 11 going six furlongs, Lookin at Lucky followed that with a victory in the

Best Pal by the same margin. Lookin at Lucky has now earned $303,000 for owners

Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman following a sweep of Del Mar's two

major events for juveniles.

Bred in Kentucky by Gulf Coast Farms, Lookin at Lucky was a $475,000

Keeneland April two-year-old-in training purchase. Produced from the winning

Private Feeling (Belong to Me), the juvenile is a half-brother to recent Jim

Dandy S. (G2) and Dwyer S. (G2) winner Kensei (Mr. Greeley), as well as a 2009

colt by Afleet Alex. Private Feeling is a half-sister to Grade 3 queen Grand

Charmer (Lord Avie), the granddam of 2006 champion three-year-old filly Wait a

While (Maria's Mon). Lookin at Lucky's third dam is Grade 1 queen Sharp Belle

(Native Charger), and Sir Harry Lewis (Alleged), the 1987 Irish Derby (Ire-G1)

winner, also hails from this family.