Lukas looks for Seventh Hopeful Win with Royal Copy

Three years ago, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas celebrated his 78th birthday when Strong Mandate upset the Grade 1 Hopeful for long time owners Robert Baker and William Mack at odds of 7-1.

 

It was the most recent of six career Hopeful victories for Lukas, who also won with Dublin (2009), Yonaguska (2000), High Yield (1999), Hennessy (1995) and Salt Lake (1991). Three of his previous winners went off as the favorite including Dublin, also owned by Baker and Mack.

 

"The Hopeful has been very good to us," Lukas said Friday morning, his 81st birthday. "We've been lucky enough to win it quite a few times."

 

On Monday, the same connections will look to continue their success with Royal Copy in the 112th running of the $350,000 Hopeful which drew a field of seven 2-year-olds, four of them undefeated and three of whom have won stakes, including two graded stakes winners.

 

Royal Copy, a bay Bodemeister colt, steps into stakes company for the first time in the seven-furlong Hopeful, having broken his maiden at the distance in his third and most recent start August 13, his second trip over Saratoga's main track.

 

In his previous effort, he was second by 1 ½ lengths going 5 ½ furlongs July 23. In both races, he defeated fellow Hopeful contender Pretty Boy Flash.

 

"I think he merits a chance," said Lukas. "I like the way he's training. He's doing everything right. He was gutsy when he ran second in his first race up here and then he came back and ran even better the next one. I'm hoping for a better one; we need to get a better one. He's a very professional horse, and that might help us. I don't think the distance will bother him. The second dam produced Stay Thirsty so he has a pretty good pedigree. Not bad at all."

 

Royal Copy has raced at or near the lead in each of his past two starts. He was out of contention early in his career debut June 11 at Churchill Downs before rallying to finish fourth behind Tip Tap Tapizar, who went on to finish third in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor and second in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special.

 

"He rates very kindly and you can do just about anything with him," said Lukas. "His first race he dropped way out of it, but that was just greenness. He's since learned to rate and he's a pretty good little gate horse. He'll relax. In that winning race he was hooked every step of the way and he didn't grab the bit and get rank or anything. He handled it very well."

 

Royal Copy will carry jockey Luis Saez and 118 pounds from post 5. He is flanked by Grade 3 Sanford winner Bitumen in post 4 and Bashford Manor winner Classic Empire in post 6.

 

"I think that they've got to move forward, every one of them in the race has got to show a little seasoning," Lukas said. "I think that [2-year-olds are] all a little unpredictable, some more than others, but when you get a smooth trip and you've got a little ability ... all of them have got some ability, obviously."

 

One race prior to the Hopeful, Lukas will send out Calumet Farm's Natchez in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap. The 4-year-old Quality Road colt will be making his first turf start for Lukas in the 1 1/16-mile stakes and second overall, having run seventh in a Keeneland allowance last fall for previous trainer Jose Fernandez.

 

In his most recent start, Natchez finished last of seven in the August 7 Alydar at Saratoga, run at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. He drew post 3 of 10 and will have Saez aboard in the Baruch.

 

"I'm trying him on the grass," Lukas said. "He's kind of an in-and-out horse. On his best day he runs big numbers. He did once at Oaklawn on the dirt and surprised us. If he brings his 'A' game and he likes the grass, I think he can get a piece of it.

 

"I'm not sure. I haven't ever run him on the grass. I don't see why he won't handle it. We think it's a good experiment. We've got a couple of spots picked out for him at Keeneland and down at Churchill and if he doesn't like it we'll go back to the dirt. It's not an overpowering race where we'll probably embarrass ourselves or anything. I think we're OK."