Photo: Adam Coglianese / NYRA
vehicle night Setting the pace, digging through lanes and keeping the looming Arctic Arrogance at bay on Saturday to win his 152nd $150,000 streak Jerome at the aqueduct.
The race was 10-4-3-2-1 points heading into the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
The 7-2 third choice in the betting, Lugan Knight sprinted for an early lead with 6-5 favorite Arctic Arrogance prompting him outside.
The Arctic Arrogance approached the pole of the quarters and got closer, but the Lugan Knight kept finding them. Lugan his knight, Arctic, he never relinquished the lead and began to gradually pull away in the final strides of the race, even though Arrogans stuck to his side down the lane.
Lugan Knight completed the mile in a time of 1:37.77 and paid $9.10 to win.
#4 Lugan Knight Is Tough As Nails On The Road To The Jerome Stakes #kai derby When @DavisJockey Mike McCarthy pays $9.10.
your #TwinSpiresReplay ?? pic.twitter.com/ASOxRO6HqW
— Twin Spire Racing ?? (@Twin Spire) January 7, 2023
The 3rd place General Banker took 3rd place with a gentle stretch bid from a neural network. Andiamo a Firenze scored the final points of his Derby for Kentucky.
Lugan Knight is the three-year-old son of the Golden Cents of Speightstown filly Sly Roxy. He was bred by his owner, his BG Stables and adjusted by Michael McCarthy. This was McCarthy’s first win for Jerome.
The race was Lugan Knight’s stakes debut, and the win put him on the leaderboard for the Road to the Kentucky Derby with 10 points. The win extended his career record to his 4:2-1-1. He broke a virginity in his second Ashing in his 6.5 furlong sprint at Keeneland on 21 October.
This story will be updated.