By Alan Carasso
Having flirted with graded stakes success on a couple of previous occasions, Godolphin homebred Lucullan (Hard Spun) got over that hurdle with a fast-finishing victory in Monday's GII Knickerbocker S. at Belmont Park.
The immaculately bred 5-year-old settled in fourth position leaving the stretch as longshot Dr. Edgar (Lookin At Lucky) set only a moderate pace in advance of GISW Glorious Empire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who was content to stalk from second despite his penchant to lead in his races. Favored Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) was purposely kept in the clear from third down the backstretch. Dr. Edgar galloped them along at an even clip, going by the three-furlong pole in 1:12.02, but Lucullan was beginning to warm up to the task as he circled five wide into the lane.
The bay, crushed into 3-2 in the final click, found his best stride entering the final eighth of a mile, driving past Dr. Edgar before holding Olympico safe in the waning yards. Catholic Boy had every conceivable chance to quicken with the winner in upper stretch, but lacked any true punch and finished fourth before galloping out strongly.
Second to GI Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Ire}) in the 2017 GII Hill Prince S., Lucullan was an allowance winner in three starts last season and kicked off this preparation with a July 3 allowance score at Belmont. The nose winner of the restricted Lure S. at Saratoga Aug. 3, he crossed the line third in the GI Woodbine Mile last time, but was demoted to fourth after drifting out late.
“He really is a top horse. He's been a bit unlucky,” offered trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who saddled Shadwell's Sahm (Mr. Prospector) to win the 1998 Knickerbocker. “We were second in the Hill Prince as a 3-year-old and Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) was third in there. I'm happy for the team. We were going to point to the [GI] Breeders' Cup Mile, but I didn't think that we'd have enough to get in. I'll talk to the team at Godolphin about where we'll go next.”
Pedigree Notes:
The 39th international group/graded winner for his sire, Lucullan was produced by a daughter of treble Grade III-winning turf mare Caress, a full-sister to Tepin's sire Bernstein, and herself the dam of the reliable stallion GISW Sky Mesa (Pulpit); MGSP and Chilean sire Monthir (Gulch); GSP Caressive (A.P. Indy); and Velvety (Bernardini), dam of recent GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity hero and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hopeful Maxfield (Street Sense). Third dam La Affirmed also produced Caress's GSW & MGISP full-sister Country Cat, MGSW Della Francesca (Danzig) and Emmaus (Silver Deputy), whose son Wiseman's Ferry (Hennessy) was responsible for two-time GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner and dual Horse of the Year Wise Dan. Golden Velvet is the dam of Lucullan's once-raced 2-year-old half-sister Embossed and a filly foal by Uncle Mo. She was most recently covered by the latter stallion.
Monday, Belmont Park
KNICKERBOCKER S.-GII, $202,000, Belmont, 10-14, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:46.87, fm.
1–LUCULLAN, 120, h, 5, by Hard Spun&log=">Hard Spun
1st Dam: Golden Velvet (MGSW & GISP-US & SP-Fr, $341,309), by Seeking the Gold
2nd Dam: Caress, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: La Affirmed, by Affirmed
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Godolphin LLC; B-Darley (KY);
T-Kiaran P McLaughlin; J-Luis Saez. $110,000. Lifetime Record:
13-6-2-2, $510,925. *1/2 to Innovative Idea (Bernardini), GSW,
$229,343. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Olympico (Fr), 124, g, 4, Rajsaman (Fr)–Carmel (Fr), by
Highest Honor (Fr). (€20,000 Ylg '16 AROYRG). O-Michael
Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables and Bethlehem
Stables LLC; B-Snig Elevage (FR); T-Chad C. Brown. $42,000.
3–Dr. Edgar, 124, g, 6, Lookin At Lucky–Sennockian Storm, by
Storm Cat. O-Peter J & Eloise Canzone Sr.; B-Frederick M Allor
& Michael T Barnett (KY); T-Barclay Tagg. $12,000.
Margins: 1, 2, HD. Odds: 1.55, 7.20, 21.80.
Also Ran: Catholic Boy, Glorious Empire (Ire), Argonne. Scratched: Noble Indy, Cullum Road. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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