4th-Keeneland, $97,670, Msw, 10-21, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:19.10, ft, 1/2 length.
LUGAN KNIGHT (c, 2, Goldencents–Sly Roxy, by Speightstown) was outfinished by the impressive Protege (Good Magic) on Churchill debut Sept. 21 and was off at 97 cents on the dollar to go one better Friday afternoon. Away a touch slowly from the inside gate, the homebred tucked in just behind the leading trio in fourth down the backstretch and traveled on the bridle on the turn. The favorite was ridden for luck into the stretch and was stymied with about three-sixteenths of a mile to race, but he punched through gamely three off the inside entering the final furlong and fought on gamely for the victory, the second of the meet for these connections. Carcano (Bolt d'Oro), the second betting choice at 38-10, raced farther back in the field and in a fair amount of kickback over what appeared to be a loose surface for the opening half-mile. Produced wide into the stretch, he stood to be the chief beneficiary when Lugan Knight was short of room, taking the lead between calls, but he was outgamed to the line. Lugan Knight is the first offspring for his dam, a daughter of two-time Sovereign Award winner Roxy Gap (Indian Charlie), whose four winners from five to race include Peter Brant's GIII Pucker Up S. heroine Cafe Americano (Medaglia d'Oro). Sly Roxy is the dam of a yearling colt from the second crop of Mendelssohn–a half-brother to Into Mischief– and most recently visited Instagrand (Into Mischief). Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $80,575. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-BG Stables (KY); T-Michael W McCarthy.
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