He was the first Ontario-sired horse to ever bank $1 million in two-year-old purse earnings, and trainer Billy Budd has told Trot Insider that Sir Luck is now looking to add to his already impressive bank account
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"The breeding season's over, and Murray (Murray McConnell, of Casimir Farm) called and said that he wanted to bring Sir Luck back to the races," Budd told Trot Insider. "It didn't take me very long to go and pick him up and get him back at Victory Lane."
Sir Luck, an O'Brien Award winner as Canada's Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year in 2002, raced as a three-year-old in 2003 but did not return to race as an aged performer. His last race was on November 22, 2003 at Mohawk Racetrack.
The now 10-year-old son of Camluck has spent much of his post-race career in the breeding shed at Casimir Farm. A total of 181 of his 215 progeny are currently eligible to race. Fifty-six of his offspring have taken career marks in 2:02 or faster; five of which have won in 1:55 or faster. One of his offspring, Casimir Hotshot, has won in 1:53 or faster (1:51.4s).
Overall in his racing career, Sir Luck has made 40 starts and recorded 12 victories, seven second-place finishes and four thirds. He banked $1,255,804 to be exact, and took his mark of 1:51.2 over Mohawk as a two-year-old. His stakes wins came in the $1.1 million Metro Pace, in divisions of the Champlain and Nassagaweya Stakes, and in multiple Ontario Sires Stakes Gold eliminations and finals.
"When we stopped with him he was still pacing in (1:) 51 or 52, and that was after he had undergone throat surgery," Budd explained. "He really didn't have the proper amount of time to heal. Well, he's healed up now, and he, along with us, are looking forward to seeing what he can go out there and do."
Budd told Trot Insider that Sir Luck hasn't been back at it for very long, but that he has had no problem getting back into the swing of things.
"He's been back just a week and he's just like what he was when we quit with him," Budd said. "He had a lot of time off -- he deserved it. He's sound now. I've been jogging him three miles a day."
Sir Luck attained his glory by going up against the best horses the Woodbine Entertainment Group had to offer in 2002 and 2003. Budd told Trot Insider that being able to get Sir Luck back on Canada's largest racing circuit would be ideal, but he is also going to be realistic in approaching the horse's return to the races.
"There is no reason why he can't come back," Budd explained. "It's early right now. It might take him some time to get back, but we'll race him in to shape at the 'B's (B-tracks). We're loosely aiming him to be back in about four months, basically late fall. I'd love to race him on the WEG circuit, but he's good on a half. We'd like to get him back to racing on the WEG circuit, but we'll start off at the 'B's."
Good for you sir luck and
Good for you sir luck and best wishes on the comeback
Horses are athletes. If he
Horses are athletes. If he his sound and enjoys racing there is absolutely no reason he shouldn't be able to attempt a comeback. How many athletes in other sports comeback from career threating injures and have success. Plenty!
I have a simple solution for
I have a simple solution for all of those opposed to sir luck being returned to training. Call murray mc Connell and buy the horse from him. then you can do what you want with the horse. sam taylor
Tim Dean I've only been back
Tim Dean
I've only been back in the game for 8 months now, after a 25 year lay away...When racing at WEG tracks, it seems like it has changed more in the last 4 months then it did over the last 25 years...with a 100 new qualifiers every week all summer long...it is tough :51 may get you a cheque...on some nights...actually there are more smiles from owners and horses when you see them on the grass in the morning of a nice summers day...thats where he belongs
Please don't. This is NOT
Please don't. This is NOT the same as taking a break from training, breeding some mares and then back in training. This horse (as was Wake At Noon) missed years of racing. It is demeaning and a disaster waiting to happen.
It is quite common in Europe
It is quite common in Europe to have trotters stand at stud in the beginning of the year and race later in the year. They even make up the schedule so this is possible for even the top horses. At the 2009 meeting of the USTA in Las Vegas this was discussed as a way of keeping great horses on the track longer. Breeders with horses making a lot of money at stud laughed when they heard that, "you want me to do what and risk the horses stallion career? " When you are producing horses in the fifty three to fifty five range there is not a huge risk of loosing a great stallion career. As for racing at ten or coming back from retirement I think that entirely depends on the horse. I have had horses who absoulty loved racing at 10, it would have been cruel to stop. Another horse that is not happy racing or injured or hurting then it's cruel to keep going. I think it realy depends on the horse and what they want to do. When you put the horse first, what's best for the horse and not what is best for the owner then things often turn out pretty good.
I have been around a few realy exceptional horses (Mach Three and Mister Big) and these horses absoulty loved to race.They lived for the chance to beat other horse and hear big crowds cheer them down the stretch. I see a lot of breeding in North America and New Zealand and Australia. Harness studs mounting fake mares. I often wonder is a great race horse happier racing or breeding. I stay up late at night and between the NZ and Australian races on the internet I think of things like that.I often wonder if the great three year olds who retire at three (Somebeachsomewhere, Donato Hanover, etc.) would be happier at four racing that they were breeding ? I just guess it depends on the horse.
215 mare @ $3,000 a pop
215 mare @ $3,000 a pop =$645,000.
Even if Casmir's mares were half that number that is still $322,500.
Not too shabby.
Anyway is NOT gonna bred
Anyway is NOT gonna bred anymore mare so look at SHANGHAI PHIL SHARK GESTURE PASSAILED ARTIST STENA they all come back to race so SIR LUCK COME BACK FOR SURE !!!!!!!!
Not a comment one way or
Not a comment one way or another, but just to clarify in regard to some posts here about the horse making plenty of money for his owner already. Sir Luck is not owned now by the same owner that he made the $1.25 million for in 2002/03.
In reply to Not a comment one way or by Dan Fisher
Karen McDonald Ok. Then once
Karen McDonald
Ok. Then once a horse is retired and made whoever money, they should just stay retired.
In reply to Karen McDonald Ok. Then once by darnfinehobby
Should Shark Gesture have
Should Shark Gesture have stayed retired? This isn't a defence of bringing Sir Luck back, I just don't think it's as easy as making retirement final.
-jp
Karen McDonald Horses that
Karen McDonald
Horses that have been retired and made their owners a ton of money should STAY retired and also horses that have made a ton of money for their owners should BE retired so they don't get life ending catastrophic injuries. Period.
Are you kidding me??? The
Are you kidding me???
The horse has more than earned his keep.
I guess nothing was learned from the Wake At Noon.
Great..The horse retired while still pacing in 51 or 52..7 years ago.
There may be "no reason why he cant come back" however I can give you 1.4 million reasons why he shouldn't.
This is just wrong, let the
This is just wrong, let the 10 yr old rest, he made over a million.
Did you not see what
Did you not see what happened to Wake at noon? Please dont bring Sir Luck back to the races.