Blind Luck handles switch to route

Steve Andersen,
Daily Racing Form

ARCADIA, Calif.- After her winning performance in Sunday's $300,000 Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting, it is hard to believe that Blind Luck started out in a maiden claimer at Calder back in June.

"That happens sometimes, but not very often," trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Blind Luck ($9) made an impressive transition from sprinter to router in the Grade 1 Oak Leaf over 1 1/16 miles, the leading prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies here on Nov. 6.

Blind Luck was given a confident ride by jockey Tyler Baze. He kept the filly on the rail until the end of the backstretch, and rallied three-wide on the turn to reach contention in early stretch. With a sharp closing kick, Blind Luck pulled away late to win by 2 1/2 lengths, finishing in 1:43.19.

"She really closed nicely," Hollendorfer said.

Always a Princess, the winner of a maiden race over 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Sept. 5, set a moderate pace of 23.04 and 47.59 seconds and held on for second. "She looked like she was going to give it up, but she kept going," trainer Bob Baffert said.

Always a Princess broke from the rail and jockey Garrett Gomez said he had little choice but to send her to the front.

"We knew the pace wouldn't be 44," Gomez said. "She did what she was supposed to do."

The New Jersey invader Bickersons, third in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 6, finished third in the field of 11 after stalking the pace throughout. The first three finishers are bound for the BC Juvenile Fillies.

Blind Luck is co-owned by Hollendorfer, Mark DeDomenico, and John Carver. By Pollard's Vision, Blind Luck has won 3 of 4 starts and $267,900. In her debut, she won a $40,000 claimer for maidens over 4 1/2 furlongs by 13 1/4 lengths at Calder on June 21.

Blind Luck's only loss was a second to Mi Sueno in the Grade 1 Darley Debutante over seven furlongs at Del Mar on Sept. 5, her stakes debut.