Turfway: She's Lookin Lucky wraps up season in My Charmer

She’s Lookin Lucky will close out her 5-year-old season and set the stage for a planned 6-year-old campaign in Saturday’s $250,000 My Charmer, her first start since breeders Richard Dunn and Douglas Schultz purchased her back for $375,000 at last month’s Keeneland November breeding-stock sale.

She’s Lookin Lucky has put together a solid record of 22: 3-7-4. Her runner-up finishes include the Grade 3 Cardinal at Churchill Downs last year and the One Dreamer at Kentucky Downs. This season, she finished third in the Indiana General Assembly Distaff Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis and most recently was second in an allowance at Keeneland to Proctor Street, who returned to win last month’s Cardinal.

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“She’s been a great mare in our barn and has run well in nearly every one of her 22 starts,” trainer Matt Shirer said. “We had our eye on this race since the sale, and I think if she’s able to handle the synthetic for the first time, she’ll run a big race.”

Although her immediate family hasn’t raced on the Tapeta, Shirer noted there is synthetic form further back in the pedigree.

“None of her siblings have tried synthetic tracks, but if you go back a generation, there is some success over the surface,” Shirer said. “She runs well over everything and that gives us a little extra confidence.”

Four races later on the card, She’s Lookin Lucky’s half-brother Helpful Howie was entered in a 2-year-old maiden special weight. Shirer noted that another half-sibling, 3-year-old filly Overcome Adversity, will be entered Wednesday for the Dec. 17 Turfway Park program.

In recent years, Shirer has typically spent his winters based at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn but is planning to keep a year-round presence in Kentucky.

“The racing is too good not to be in Kentucky year-round,” Shirer said. “We still have a barn at Oaklawn and plan to be there as well, but we’re keeping several live horses here this winter to run at Turfway.”

The My Charmer shares the Saturday spotlight with the $250,000 Prairie Bayou, $250,000 Holiday Cheer and the $250,000 Holiday Inaugural. Run at one mile, the My Charmer field will go to post as Race 6 at 8:25 p.m. EST. First post is 5:55 p.m.