Calhoun, Finley'sluckycharm to Try La Brea Dec. 26

Bret Calhoun is one of the most respected trainers in the country and is a true craftsman of a conditioner.

Hands-on, astute, and keen on individually evaluating all of his runners, he micromanages a large-scale operation with the finesse of a trainer with only a handful of horses. The fruits of his hard work have been on display throughout the Texas Tech alum's career.

Since 2003 the 52-year-old has won 25 graded stakes including two Breeders' Cup events, and is considered by many to be one of the top developers of young horses, as well as a refiner of older campaigners. It is evident through his accomplishments that Calhoun, who has struck with an impeccable 21.8% of his career starters, has his finger on the pulse of when to push and when to pause with a young, precocious horse. 

His patience and instincts have been on parade with Carl R. Moore Management's Finley'sluckycharm over the past few months. A wickedly quick daughter of Twirling Candy  , she has won five of six starts by a combined 24 1/2 lengths and shipped the morning of Dec. 20 to California to attempt to prove she is the top 3-year-old sprinting filly in the nation in the Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park. 

"She is very talented," Calhoun said. "She's run three fast races in a row and everything has gone the way we want it to go. You always worry about the bounce theory, but she has kept coming back these last couple times and run just as fast. She has proved herself and we are going out there because we think she has a chance to win in a grade I. It'll be the best competition she's ever faced, but we think she's a good horse and I am not sure she's run her fastest race yet."

After a pair of easy sprint victories to commence her career, the Kentucky-bred dark bay was stepped up in trip and class in Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots' Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. II), ultimately checking in a tired seventh of nine in her lone two-turn try. Given seven months off, she returned in a rained-off five-furlong Churchill Downs allowance in late September and manhandled the competition by 7 1/4 lengths.

She did the same to older fillies and mares five weeks later in an allowance optional claiming race, running six furlongs under the Twin Spires in 1:08.42. A return to stakes competition naturally followed and the Lakland Farm-bred filly responded with another one-sided tally 20 days later in the $82,400 Dream Supreme Stakes over the same trip.

Now she heads to California to test her talents at the top level one year to the day of her promising New Orleans unveiling Dec. 26. 

"She was a very immature filly at the time and came out of the Rachel with a minor injury," Calhoun explained. "We decided to back off her and just give her time to recover and develop. She was physically immature and she's come a long way since. We thought she was special back then and we're fortunate to have her back to 100%. She's been impressive and has gone very fast while doing so very easily. She's going against tough competition, but if she continues running the way she has, she should be very competitive. 

"She does remind me of (grade I 2010 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner) Dubai Majesty," he continued. "She does it so effortlessly and will do whatever the rider wants her to do. She's push-button and remote control, but with a great deal of speed. When you have a filly who will turn on and off like that while going that fast, it sure helps a lot and gives you a lot of confidence."

Finley'sluckycharm races for one of Calhoun's longtime clients. Moore owned Calhoun's other Breeders' Cup victor, Turf Sprint (gr. IIT) winner Chamberlain Bridge, one of the most consistent top-level turf sprinters of the past decade who raced until he was nine and won or placed in graded turf sprints for five consecutive seasons 2009-13. 

"Carl and his family have been with me for a long time and have had some of my top horses," Calhoun said. "It's great to have another one like (Finley'sluckycharm) for them. They've been one of my biggest supporters for years and years and are great owners to have. We've had a lot of large offers for this filly and I feel very fortunate that they own her because they've allowed me to keep her."

Out of the multiple stakes-placed Victory Gallop mare Day of Victory, Finley'sluckycharm has the pedigree to relish the move up to seven furlongs and add to what has been another solid season for Calhoun and his team. With 10 days remaining in the year, he has already eclipsed $4 million in purses and won 140 races, while striking at 20.8% and crafting Fish Trappe Road into one of the top one-turn sophomores in the country.