Black Magic Racing and trainer Todd Luther had to front a $50,000 supplement to enter Katies Lucky Day into the $351,000 56th Kentucky Filly Futurity, and the Uncle Peter filly navigated all traffic to nail even-money favourite Bella Bellini at the beam of a 1:50.4 mile on Sunday (Oct. 10) at The Red Mile.
Katies Lucky Day made her Grand Circuit debut on September 18 in the $414,000 Elegantimage at Woodbine Mohawk Park. There, she persevered from a wide trip out of post 10 to finish third behind Donna Soprano and Bella Bellini. Prior to that start, the filly dominated on the Ohio Sires Stakes circuit but finished second in the $300,000 final to world champion Herculisa.
“Obviously I go on what my trainer and driver say, and she’s been very good; we haven’t had to race her real hard all year long,” Greg Luther of Black Magic Racing said after the race, talking of his decision to supplement his filly. “She raced huge up in Canada, and we’re trying to make it to the big leagues. When you got one that’s even close, you go ahead and put them in."
Trouble started early for Katies Lucky Day as she had to avoid the break of Herculisa, the other supplement into this race, off the wings. She then sat far enough off a break from Contested Hanover into the backstretch to race third-over in a developing flow through a :27.3 first quarter.
Meanwhile, Empressive Hill cleared the lead from post 10 into the backside and took the field to the half in :54.2 as Bella Bellini led the outer tier first over to the final turn. Bella Bellini carried the flow to three-quarters in 1:22.2 and inherited the lead off the turn as Empressive Hill jumped into a gallop to the safety lane. Katies Lucky Day came charging from third-over after the leader and loomed closer coming to the eighth pole. Under urging from driver Trevor Smith, Katies Lucky Day dug into Bella Bellini all through the lane and landed a nose in front at the beam. May Karp closed to finish third and You Ato Dream took fourth.
“Years ago, I didn’t think I’d have a pacer that would go in 1:50, but to get interfered with twice, come from the second tier and trot in 1:50 was unbelievable,” said Greg Luther. “By far the nicest filly I’ve ever trained. She gives a hundred per cent every week and she don’t do absolutely nothing wrong. Trevor’s our main man. He’s done so well with her and everything he’s drove for us this year. He’ll be our main man."
Winning her ninth race from 18 starts this season and her 15th from 30 overall, Katies Lucky Day parlayed her $75,000 supplement to a $175,500 payday, pushing her bankroll to 522,849.
Despite the classic victory in the Luther’s “million-dollar experiment,” Greg has Katies Lucky Day entered into the Harrisburg Mixed Sale in early November following a try at the Breeders Crown on October 30 at The Meadowlands.
“If you bring the microphone this way, she’s in the sale. If you take it that way [to Todd Luther], she’s not,” Greg said. “We’ll see how she does in the Breeders Crown; that’s where I’m going next. I’m going to supplement her to the Breeders Crown and she will have Trevor Smith. The Ohio boys will be there.”
“We’ll see,” Todd said to whether Greg will stay convinced to sell Katies Lucky Day, “but I think he’ll back out.”
The 56th edition of the Kentucky Filly Futurity was sponsored by Crawford Farms.
For complete coverage of the Kentucky Futurity day card of harness racing from The Red Mile, click here.
(With files from The Red Mile)