Breaking Lucky Surprises in Prince of Wales

There will be no bid for a Canadian Triple Crown this year as Breaking Lucky came from last and pulled a 13-1 upset in the Prince of Wales Stakes  July 28 at Fort Erie, denying Queen's Plate winner and 3-2 favorite Shaman Ghost by a neck.

 

In seventh and last through six furlongs, Breaking Lucky unleashed his winning rally from six-wide entering the stretch. He finished with plenty of energy to defeat Shaman Ghost on the rail and Field of Courage, who was third another neck back after leading at the top of the lane.

 

Breaking Lucky was timed in 1:56.59 for 1 3/16 miles on a fast dirt track.

 

A member of the first crop of Central Kentucky sire Lookin At Lucky  , Breaking Lucky earned his first stakes win in the Prince of Wales, the second jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown, after finishing fifth to Shaman Ghost in the Queen's Plate, the first jewel, July 5. Trained by Reade Baker, the colt has two wins and second from six career starts for Gunpowder Farms.

 

James McAleney settled Breaking Lucky in behind Shaman Ghost in sixth as Cut to the Chase opened a clear lead and cut fractions of :23.94, :48.24, and 1:12.30 for the six furlongs while tracked by Conquest Boogaloo and Field of Courage.

 

Breaking Lucky made his move for the lead around the turn, and McAleney said he made a critical decision at the top of the stretch that most likely secured the victory.

 

"I had the option on the turn to take the path (Shaman Ghost) was going and follow him or move toward the outside," he said. "I felt I had a clear outside trip, so I opted for the outside. I knew Shaman Ghost was down inside and once he got through, he would come running. I had the horses near me beaten at the eighth pole, but knew that horse was coming. I knew the race wasn't over."

 

Rafael Manuel Hernandez said Shaman Ghost produced a good effort.

 

"I was inside down the backside and had to stay where I was and make one run," he said. "He handled the surface fine and he tried hard. He's a very good horse. It looked like we were done down the lane, but he came back again and almost got there."

 

Bred in Ontario by Christine Hayden, Breaking Lucky was a $100,000 weanling purchase by Margaux Farm's agency at the 2012 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. His dam is U.S. grade I-placed Shooting Party, by Sky Classic.

 

Under equal weights of 126 pounds, Breaking Lucky paid $28.10, $8.30, and $5.90, and Shaman Ghost returned $2.30 and $2.40. Field of Courage paid $6.50 to show.

 

Scorch finished fourth, followed by Conquest Boogaloo, Danish Dynaformer, and Cut to the Chase to complete the order of finish.

 

The Canadian classic series, for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, is completed by the Breeders' Stakes, to be run at 1 1/2-miles turf Aug. 16 at Woodbine. Baker indicated that Breaking Lucky would be aimed for that race.