 Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Philip Steinberg's homebred Got Lucky turned the tables on rival Stiffed in emphatic fashion July 3, pouncing first and pulling away to win by 5 1/2 lengths in the $150,000 Molly Pitcher (gr. III) atMonmouth Park. Watch Video
Off at 1-5 odds under Paco Lopez, the 4-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy stalked early leader J's Two Step Halo in third and blew by coming out of the final turn in the 1 1/16-mile dirt test. Stiffed closed from last in the six-horse field to finish second, but could not make up significant ground on the winner.
Last time out, Stiffed was a half-length better than Got Lucky in the Monmouth Beach Stakes. The Molly Pitcher victory is Got Lucky's first graded stakes score.
J's Two Step Halo set early fractions of :24.46, :49.85, and 1:14.38 through a six furlongs, before Got Lucky took command, running the mile in 1:38.30 and hitting the wire in 1:44.12.
"I knew Stiffed would be coming to the outside again," Lopez said. "This time the pace was a little easier for us. We were able to sit comfortably just off the pace along the backstretch. She wanted to go a little early, but I had to hold her back. Once we were in the clear I let her go, she sprinted away perfectly."
J's Two Step Halo held to finish third, 4 1/4 lengths behind Stiffed.Lucky Liberty was fourth, followed by Oasis At Midnight and Mary n' Eileen to complete the order of finish.
The winner paid $2.60, $2.10, and $2.10 across the board. Stiffed returned $2.80 and $2.40, while J's Two Step Halo brought $5.
"She was impressive today," said Anthony Sciametta Jr., assistant to winning trainer Todd Pletcher. "She stumbled just a bit out of the gate, but seemed to overcome that just fine. It looked like she was on cruise control out there and (Lopez) just steered her in the right direction."
Got Lucky was bred in Kentucky, out of the Deputy Minister mareMalka. She has a 4-5-0 record from 13 starts and earnings of $451,340.
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