Janet Garaguso Photo

Lucullan holds off Sacred Life to win Fasig-Tipton Lure

by Jon Forbes

Lucullan swept to the lead at the quarter pole and then dug in to hold off a late charge from Sacred Life to win the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure by a nose on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

Content to race in third as Voodoo Song set fractions of 23.38 and 46.97 seconds while racing on a clear lead, Lucullan commenced his rally under jockey Luis Saez on the far turn as the pacesetter began to tire. Lucullan opened a clear lead in upper stretch and had enough left to deny the bid of Sacred Life, who was making his first start in North America.

"It was beautiful," said Saez. "That was the plan. I knew that [Voodoo Song] and [Noble Indy] had the most speed, so everything went according to plan. It was perfect. At the three-eighths he was pulling me, but I still waited because I knew the horses in front were stopping. I had to save him until the end. When I let him go, he took off."

Lucullan, the 9-5 favorite in the field of seven, returned $5.90 for a $2 win wager and completed 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf course in 1:39.63.

The Fasig-Tipton Lure was restricted to 4-year-olds and up which have not won a graded stakes in 2019.

Lucullan, a Godolphin Racing homebred trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, is unbeaten in two starts this year, having won an optional claimer by 1 ¼ lengths July 3 at Belmont Park. The 5-year-old son of Hard Spun has twice placed in graded stakes, finishing second in the 2017 Grade 3 Hill Prince and third in the 2018 Grade 3 Fort Marcy.

Overall, Lucullan is 5-2-2 in 11 starts with $363,300 in purse earnings, including the $55,000 winner's share of the Fasig-Tipton Lure purse.

"[Luis Saez] rode him excellent," said McLaughlin. "He had a ton of horse turning for home and he didn't want to get there too soon. It was a very game effort and an excellent ride, and we hope to move on to bigger and better things."

One option under consideration is the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap on September 2, closing day at Saratoga.

"There are a few races out there, [like] the Bernard Baruch," said McLaughlin. "It's hard to say. A mile to a mile and an eighth, we'll look around and try and duck Bricks and Mortar."

It was 1 ¼ lengths back to third-place finisher Ticonderoga, who rallied from last to edge Noble Indy and Say the Word for third. Projected and Voodoo Song completed the order of finish. Gidu and main-track-only entrant Control Group were scratched.