Lucullan Notches First Stakes Victory in Lure

Godolphin homebred Lucullan took home his first stakes score Aug. 3 with a text-book stalking trip that sent him straight to a nose victory in the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Guided by Luis Saez, the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun  broke late but settled early just off the rail in third. Voodoo Song took command and established a clear lead, setting fractions :23.38, :46.97, and 1:10.65 for six furlongs. Noble Indy, who broke on top in the seven-horse field, yielded early to Voodoo Song and pressed the pace in second.

Swinging three-wide in the far turn, Lucullan passed Noble Indy before digging in to get up for the lead at the quarter pole. Sacred Life—who was making his first start in North America for trainer Chad Brown—rallied to get up from last and challenged the leader in deep stretch on the far outside. 

Lucullan dug in to the wire and prevailed by a nose over Sacred Life. Final time for the 1 1/6-miles was 1:39.63 on the inner turf rated firm. 

"It was beautiful," said Saez. "That was the plan. I knew that (Voodoo Song) and (Noble Indy) had the most speed, so everything went according to plan. It was perfect. At the three-eighths he was pulling me, but I still waited because I knew the horses in front were stopping. I had to save him until the end. When I let him go, he took off."

The Fasig-Tipton Lure was restricted to 4-year-olds and up which have not won a graded stakes in 2019.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Lucullan is unbeaten in two starts this year, having won a July 3 optional claimer by 1 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park. He has placed twice in graded company, finishing second in the 2017 Hill Prince Stakes (G3T) and third in the 2018 Fort Marcy Stakes (G3T)—both at Belmont. 

"(Luis) rode him excellent," said McLaughlin. "He had a ton of horse turning for home and he didn't want to get there too soon. It was a very game effort and an excellent ride, and we hope to move on to bigger and better things."

With a stakes win under his belt, McLaughlin said a possible next target could be the Sept. 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) at Saratoga.

"There are a few races out there, (like) the Bernard Baruch," said McLaughlin. "It's hard to say. A mile to a mile and an eighth, we'll look around and try and duck Bricks and Mortar."

Bred in Kentucky by Darley, Lucullan is out of the Seeking the Gold mare Golden Velvet, who has also produced grade 3 winner Innovative Idea. He has a 5-2-2 record from 11 starts with $363,300 in purse earnings.

Later on the card it was Gary Barber and Southern Equine Stable's Got Stormy who turned in her own late-running effort to take the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose Stakes by four lengths.

Under Tyler Gaffalione, the 4-year-old Get Stormy filly was well-rated in the two path tracking Desert Isle and Divine Miss Grey who vied for the lead out of the gate.

In control by a length and a half as the field reached the half-mile in :46.93, Desert Isle set down to do battle in the lane but quickly tired. Got Stormy made her run four wide and had enough in reserve to overtake Capla Temptress who went widest of them all to challenge in the final furlongs.

Got Stormy crossed the wire four lengths ahead of her competition, completing the one-mile turf test in 1:33.15. Capla Temptress took second followed by Stella di Camelot in third. Desert Isle and Rock my Love followed. Divine Miss Grey was pulled up by jockey Manuel Franco in the midstretch after taking several bad steps. The mare was vanned off after suffering an apparent injury to her left front leg.

"She had been working lights out," Gaffalione said of Got Stormy. "I've really been looking forward to her getting back to the races and she showed exactly why. She's a nice filly who has a ton of talent and she seems to get better this year. I tapped her on the shoulder once and she exploded, so I just wrapped back up on her. I had plenty of horse left but that's as easy as it gets. To be honest, I don't know if it's this filly or if I just had a lot of confidence today, but I knew at any point around the track I was going to win. She was ready for a big race."

"This week here, I've had everything go wrong, so I was just watching," said trainer Mark Casse. "I've run some horses this week I thought would run well, and they didn't run any good, so I lost a little confidence. She made (the week) good.

"(Co-owner) Gary (Barber) called and said, 'What about the Fourstardave (G1T)?' We may go to Woodbine and run her a mile in the Woodbine Mile (G1T). She has already run once there and ran really well. I'm hoping she's our next Tepin."

Bred in Kentucky by Mt. Joy Stables, Pope McLean, Marc McLean, and Pope McLean Jr., Got Stormy has a 6-1-3 record from 14 starts with earnings of $485,078. Out of the Malabar Gold mare Super Phoebe, she was purchased for $45,000 by Alan Quartucci from the consignment of Niall Brennan Stables to the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Video: Fasig-Tipton Lure S. (BT)

Video: Fasig-Tipton De La Rose S. (BT)