They're all Lookin at Lucky after smashing Haskell victory

Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman's LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Smart

Strike), last year's champion two-year-old male, bolstered his claims

for the three-year-old championship by crushing an all-star cast in

Sunday's $1,010,000

Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park. Last seen landing the

May 15 Preakness S. (G1), the Bob Baffert trainee overpowered Kentucky

Derby (G1) winner Super Saver (Maria's Mon) and Preakness runner-up

First Dude (Stephen Got Even) entering the stretch and turned the

well-matched contest into a one-sided affair. The lightly-raced Trappe

Shot (Tapit) got up for second, but never got within shouting distance

of the impressive four-length winner, who handed Baffert a record fourth

victory in the Haskell.

Breaking from the rail, Lookin at Lucky was maneuvered several paths

off the fence by Martin Garcia in the opening yards, a move ensuring

that the 6-5 favorite would get a clear run and avoid being hemmed in a

pocket. Meanwhile, First Dude hustled to the front. With Our Dark Knight

(Medaglia d'Oro) applying pressure to his outside, and Super Saver

prompting three-wide in third, First Dude reeled off splits of :23 2/5

and :47 4/5. Lookin at Lucky, who had been reserved in fourth, commenced

his move approaching the far turn and rapidly gained on the early

leaders through six furlongs in 1:12 2/5. By that point, Our Dark Knight

had already backed out.

"At the three-eighths pole, that's when you know you've got a good

horse because they'll be pulling you. Martin was still sitting, but when

he pushed the button, the horse really took off.

"You can't make that move on synthetic, but on dirt it was the

winning move. That's really what I like to see -- running fast horses on

fast tracks. 

"I've been coming here since 1997 when we ran Anet (who finished

second to Touch Gold)," Baffert said. "Win, lose or draw, I know we'll

have a great time at Monmouth." 

Baffert, who had been tied with Jimmy Croll and Sonny Hine with three

Haskell winners each, moved into the top spot as Lookin at Lucky

followed Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002) and Roman Ruler (2005)

into the Haskell winner's circle.

Trappe Shot, who was caught in traffic for a moment, finished strongly to

overtake a resurgent First Dude and Super Saver by three-quarters of a length.

The runner-up gave back $3.40 and $2.60 as the 5-2 second choice and ended the

$17.20 exacta.

"He ran well -- very well," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said of Trappe

Shot. "We were second to a top horse. We're disappointed because we

think an awful lot of this horse. But this race is the best of the best,

and right now we're in second place." 

With this fifth career Grade 1 victory, and seventh stakes score overall,

Lookin at Lucky sports a sterling record of 11-8-1-1 to go along with $2,713,000

in earnings. Lookin at Lucky was voted the Eclipse Award as champion

two-year-old following a nearly unbeaten 2009 season. Breaking his maiden in his

initial try last July at Hollywood Park, the bay went on to take his next three

-- the 6 1/2-furlong Best Pal S. (G2), seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G1) and 1

1/16-mile Norfolk S. (G1). Lookin at Lucky suffered his first loss in a

heartbreaker in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), where he was compromised by the

13 post and was just beaten a head. He promptly rebounded in the CashCall

Futurity (G1) to conclude the year.

After overcoming a world of trouble to win the Rebel S. (G2) in his sophomore

debut, Lookin at Lucky ran into even worse trouble that he couldn't overcome in

the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby. He was taken up sharply in the

Santa Anita Derby, but regrouped for third, and was an equine pinball when

drawing the rail in the Run for the Roses. Knocked repeatedly in the early going

of the 1 1/4-mile classic, Lookin at Lucky managed to put in enough of a run to

finish sixth in the 20-horse field. His connections decided to make a rider

switch from Garrett Gomez to Garcia for the Preakness, and enjoying a better

draw and a clean trip, he wore down a stubborn First Dude.