Lakerville Back Quickly in Last Tycoon
Lakerville will be running in less than two weeks in Friday’s Spring Meet opening day test, the Grade III, $100,000 Last Tycoon Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
The 6-year-old Unusual Heat horse trained by Barry Abrams, who owns the late-running turf sprinter along with Madeline Auerbach, was second by a half-length in the Grade III San Simeon Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf April 13.
“There are no more (turf) sprints in California until the Breeders’ Cup (sixth months hence),” Abrams said in explaining his reason for running Friday. “If he can’t go two turns, I might as well send him back east or stop on him. This race is not tough on paper.
“It’s a mile and an eighth, but there’s no reason he can’t go a mile and an eighth. If he can’t be one-two in here, I’m just wasting my time, because there are no more sprints. If he’s just going to be a sprinter, I have to take him out or take him somewhere else and get ready for the Breeders’ Cup (Turf Sprint on Nov. 1).”
The field for the Last Tycoon: Quick Casablanca, Joe Talamo; Lakerville, Brice Blanc; Joelito, Corey Nakatani; Rookie Sensation, Mike Smith; Fire With Fire, Tyler Baze; and Spring Up, Victor Espinoza.