Lookin At Lee Retired to Stud Career in New York

American classic-placed, black-type winner Lookin At Lee  has been retired from racing and will stand his first season at stud in 2021 under the management of Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions near Saratoga Springs, N.Y., the farm announced Nov. 3. He will stand his first season for $6,500.

The 6-year-old son of dual champion Lookin At Lucky  got off to a fast start at 2, getting his first win in his second start and becoming a stakes winner in his third after winning the Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes. He went directly into graded competition, finishing second to Not This Time  in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) and to 2-year-old champion Classic Empire  in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1). He ended his juvenile campaign with a fourth in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

At 3, Lookin At Lee earned a starting position in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with third-place finishes in the Southwest Stakes (G3) and the Arkansas Derby (G1). In the Kentucky Derby, he would come from far back to rally past all but Always Dreaming  to earn second in America's most prestigious race. He competed in each leg of the Triple Crown, finishing fourth in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and unplaced in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). Lookin At Lee continued winning at 4 and 5, taking the $200,000 black-type Downs at Albuquerque Handicap at 5. Overall, he compiled a 4-6-4 record out of 35 starts and earned $1,343,188.

"Lookin At Lee was a precocious 2-year old with an excellent disposition that brought his connections on a thrilling journey through the Triple Crown races," said trainer Steve Asmussen. "I'm looking forward to seeing his foals."

Lookin At Lucky is one of the best sire sons of Smart Strike and bred on a similar Mr. Prospector/Danzig line cross as Distorted Humor .  Sons of Lookin at Lucky are beginning to shape their own stallion careers, including Eclipse champion older dirt male Accelerate  and 2019 Kentucky Derby winner Country House . Lookin At Lee is out of the graded stakes-placed, multiple stakes winner Langara Lass (Langfuhr), who is also dam of multiple grade 3 winner Blended Citizen (Proud Citizen) and grade 1-placed stakes winner Battlefield Angel, who is the dam of grade 1-placed, 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) contender Manny Wah.