Lukas back at Pimlico with Aquamarine, My Sweet Stella
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Photo:
Coady Photography
Six-time Preakness winner D. Wayne Lukas doesn’t have a horse this year for the Triple Crown’s Middle Jewel, but the Hall of Fame trainer will again be a fixture at Pimlico that weekend.
Lukas is running the 3-year-old colt Aquamarine in the $200,000 Chick Lang and stakes-placed 3-year-old filly My Sweet Stella in the Hilltop on grass. Both are owned by Zayat Stables, which two years ago won the Preakness with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
Aquamarine is one-for-one for Lukas, taking a Keeneland allowance race after having a win and two fourths in three starts in California for trainer Bob Baffert. The cleverly-named Aquamarine — a son of Gemologist out of the mare April True, even if aquamarine is the March birthstone — has two bullet workouts at Churchill Downs since his April 22 Keeneland score.
“I think it’s a good fit for him,” Lukas said, despite suffering from laryngitis, the result of an apparent virus that had afflicted his wife, Laurie. “There aren’t many straight 3-year-old sprint races left. Most are 3 and up. I think it’s a good fit to take advantage of that.”
My Sweet Stella is going back to the turf after racing on dirt at Oaklawn Park, where she was second in two stakes. The daughter of Eskendereya broke her maiden on grass.
“Those listed stakes back there are a nice fit for those horses at this stage of their career,” Lukas said. “The hospitality at Pimlico is second to none. It’s a little bit more laid back. The races are excellent and there are lots of them, a heavy stakes schedule those two days. It’s just a fun place to be.”
Source: Maryland Jockey Club
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