Precocious Lady, a daughter of Lucky Chucky, got her career off to a strong start as a freshman in 2017.
The Margaret Spagnola trainee raced seven times as a two-year-old, recording three wins and hitting the board in six of the seven starts. The sophomore season hasn’t been as smooth though for Precocious Lady who got off to a slow beginning to her 2018 campaign.
The three-year-old has been much improved recently and came into Thursday’s $8,500 event for New York sired trotters at Saratoga Casino Hotel with a win and three third-place finishes in her last five starts. Drawing the rail on Thursday, Precocious Lady had leading driver Billy Dobson in the sulky who perhaps used a bit of caution in the early going as the filly was coming off of a break.
After getting away third from the rail, Precocious Lady swung first-over and powered past the leader before drawing off to a resounding six-plus length victory on a chilly autumn afternoon in upstate New York. Precocious Lady’s win, which came in 2:01.3, was the second of the day for her owners and trainer as Jim Corona and John Shufon teamed up with Margaret Spagnola earlier in the card for a win with veteran trotter Quick Feet (Crazed).
Quick Feet cruised to a 4-1/2 length win on Thursday as he scored for the second time in just five days. Both of his victories this week came with Frank Coppola, Jr. in the sulky. Corona and Shufon have been long time partners in the horse business enjoying perhaps their greatest success with Mr One Eyed Jack who was named Saratoga’s Pacer of the Year back in 2004 while a member of the Spagnola stable.
Live racing continues on Friday evening at Saratoga with a 6:45 p.m. first post featuring a pick five carryover of $1,673.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)