Midnight Lucky conquers Sunland Oaks in record-setting performance

Midnight Lucky conquers Sunland Oaks in record-setting

performance

Midnight Lucky didn't need any luck, or much encouragement from jockey Rafael

Bejarano either, as she romped by eight lengths in Sunday's $200,000

Sunland Park Oaks.

Trained by Bob Baffert, the gray miss was making her stakes and

two-turn debut in the 1 1/16-mile contest and easily proved capable of handling

such a task when setting a new Sunland Park track record of 1:41.06 over the

fast going.

Midnight Lucky, who also romped by 7 1/4 length in her career bow on February

16 at Santa Anita, sped to the front when the gates opened but found company in

the form of Majestic River to her inside. Bejarano allowed his filly to settle

in a pressing spot as Majestic River set a blistering opening quarter in an

initially reported :21 before slowing it down for the half in :46 2/5.

Canticle had ranged up to Midnight Lucky's throatlatch by this point and

Unusual Way was putting in a game run down on the rail to Majestic River's

inside. Midnight Lucky easily repelled Canticle while moving up to take command

as the leader began fading through six furlongs in 1:09 4/5.

Unusual Way abandoned the inside and angled out under jockey Edwin Maldonado

to put in her challenge on the outside, but Midnight Lucky kept pulling away in

the lane to eventually be eight lengths clear while geared down in the final

yards.

Campaigned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman, Midnight Lucky was

the heavy 1-5 favorite in the eight-filly field and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10.

Unusual Way proved best of the rest by 4 1/2 lengths over Countess Curlin, with

Infinitely rounding out the top four by holding Fraudulentfootnote to fifth by a

head. Cantile, Majestic River and Shesatopattraction completed the order under

the wire.

All indications were that Midnight Lucky was ready to run a big race, and the

sophomore daughter of Midnight Lute earned a spot in the starting gate for the

Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs after earning 50 points on the new Road

to the Kentucky Oaks point system Sunday. She could now become the second

Sunland Park Oaks winner for Baffert to win the Kentucky Oaks after Plum Pretty

parlayed a stunning 25-length win in the former race to a quarter-length victory

under the Twin Spires in 2011.

The Sunland Park Oaks was the final race in the first leg of the championship

series of races on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. The six races in the second

leg will now be worth 100 points to the winner.

Bred in Kentucky by C. Kidder and J.K. & Linda Griggs, Midnight Lucky is

closing in on earning back her purchase price of $220,000 as a Fasig-Tipton

Saratoga Selected yearling. Thus far she's banked $153,600 to go along with her

unbeaten two-for-two mark.

Midnight Lucky is out of the Citidancer mare Citiview, who was unable to win

in 10 races on track, and counts as a half-sister dual stakes-placed

Songofthecity. Her second dam is the stakes-winning Allen's Prospect mare

Prospective Joy, who found success in the breeding shed when producing

Citiview's full sister Hookedonthefeelin.

That mare would capture the Grade 1 La Brea and Grade 2 Landaluce before

going on herself to foal multiple Grade 1 queen Pussycat Doll, Grade 1 victor

Jimmy Creed, stakes winner Funny Feeling and multiple stakes-placed Blowing

Kisses.

Farther back, this female family is responsible for champion handicap horse

Bold Bidder, champion steeplechaser Top Bid and Group 1 Epsom Oaks heroine

Intrepidity.

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