NEWS: RACING

Lucky Move springs huge upset in Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park

Wednesday, June 17th, 2020

By Sarah Mace

True to her name, Lucky Move catapulted dramatically to the lead in the far turn to pull off a huge 42-1 upset in the $100,000 Obeah Stakes, Delaware Park’s opening day feature. Campaigned by Marshall Gramm’s Ten Strike Racing and trained by Juan Guerrero, the 6-year-old daughter of Lookin at Lucky was ridden confidently to victory by Roberto Rosado. On opening day of the 83rd season of live racing at Delaware Park, spectators were permitted to attend the races under enhanced safety protocols and enforced social distancing

Based at Parx and making her Delaware debut, Lucky Move came into the 1 1/16-mile contest with a remarkably consistent record dating back to June 14, 2019, her first start after being claimed from Half Century Racing for $30,000 out of a turf race at Churchill Downs.

In 10 subsequent starts, all dirt routes, Lucky Move compiled a record of 2-3-4 with one fourth-place finish. The tally also includes a trio of stakes tries resulting in three placings. She finished third in the Saratoga Dew last August and was a close runner-up in both the Bay Ridge Stakes for New York-breds and open Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct (December and January respectively). She was certainly overdue to put some black type in the win column.

Drawn in the outside post in the whittled-down field of eight after scratches, Lucky Move broke readily before settling two-wide on a loose rein at the rear of the group, sharing the caboose with fellow longshot Trolley Ride, seven lengths off the pace.

Taken wider by Rosado in the approach to the far turn, Lucky Move picked off some low hanging fruit before launching a big sweeping move in the turn in tandem with Vault (2-1 second choice). She made the front before the field even started to straighten away.

Vault proved to be a tenacious rival to Lucky Move’s inside, but Lucky Move finally put her away for good, edging off to a decisive 1 1/4-length victory. After honest early fractions of 23.30, 47.22 and 1:11.35, Lucky Move stopped the timer at 1:42.28 for the 1 1/16 miles over the fast going.

The Obeah is the main prep race for the Delaware Park Handicap which will be contested at the new distance of 1 1/8 miles on July 11. Since the Obeah Stakes was inaugurated in 1996, only the 2006 older female champion Fleet Indian and I’m a Chatterbox, who won the race in 2016, have won the race and followed with a victory in the Delaware Handicap.

Lucky Move’s fifth career win and first stakes victory improves her earnings to $264,573 in 27 starts with seven seconds and four thirds.

Bred by Maltese Cross Stables and Stonegate Stables, Lucky Move is one of two winners from three starters out of Quiet Mover, a  Kentucky-bred daughter of Quiet American, who won six times on dirt and earned over $220,000 after bringing only $7,000 as a yearling in 2006. Her most recent reported foal is a juvenile Tapiture colt.

Offered at public auction only once, Lucky Move went to Steve Perlig from Harry Landry’s consignment for $57,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.

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