MISSISSAUGA, ON — Harness racing’s $1 million dollar club is an exclusive one. Only a handful of horses reach the seven-figure mark in their racing career and fewer still accomplish it in one season. Achieving a spot among the sport’s superstars during a two-year-old campaign is a rare feat worthy of the superlatives that people are starting to pile on Ontario-bred pacing colt Sir Luck. When Sir Luck captured his third $130,000 Gold Final at Mohawk Racetrack on Friday night, the Camluck son pushed his earnings to $1,018,066 from nine wins, three seconds and one third in 14 starts. He is the first Ontario-sired two-year-old to achieve the million-dollar mark, and he did so without venturing further south than Windsor.
“I knew it was theoretically a possibility, but I certainly never expected it,” says Brooklyn, NY based owner Cliff Siegel of Sir Luck’s accomplishment. “There was nothing special about him when I bought him as a yearling. He’s from a young mare, a second foal, and I like buying from young mares, but there was nothing that stood out. I’d be lying to you if I said there was. He was good looking, good conformed, from a decent family and it just worked out better than we could ever have expected.”
Sir Luck burst onto the Ontario Sires Stakes scene in the Gold Series season opener at Windsor Raceway on June 26, impressing onlookers with the effort he delivered to finish second in the elimination after making a break at the start. The colt captured his first $130,000 Gold Final one week later with a flawless 1:53 performance over the five-eighths mile oval.
Trained by Carlisle’s Bill Budd, Sir Luck then captured a Gold Series Elimination and Final at Woodbine Racetrack on July 11 and 18. One July 26 he captured an elimination of the Battle of Waterloo at Elmira Raceway and then finished third in the Aug. 5 Final after making an early break. Back on the half-mile at Flamboro Downs for his next two start the colt won his Aug. 11 elimination and then finished fourth in the Aug. 18 Final, his only off the board result to date.
Budd felt the colt was not 100 per cent through the Flamboro Downs event and the veteran conditioner was working hard to get the colt in peak condition for the $1.1 million Metro Pace. In the Aug. 24 elimination Sir Luck finished second by a quarter length and then one week later driver Mike Saftic delivered up the perfect trip and the colt out sprinted his America rivals to score the rich Metro victory.
After just 10 starts Sir Luck had already earned $793,076 and there were still two Gold Series events, the Super Final and Canadian Breeders Championship to look forward to.
A 1:51.2 personal best in the Sept. 7 Champlain Stakes and a win in the Sept. 14 Nassagaweya Stakes at Mohawk Racetrack moved the youngster closer to the exclusive earnings mark. Back at Mohawk for the second last Gold Series event Sir Luck posted a runner-up finish to stablemate Boulder Creek in the Sept. 27 elimination and then tipped over the $1 million barrier with his victory in the Oct. 4 Final.
Sir Luck was not eligible to Saturday’s Breeders’ Crown elimination at Woodbine Racetrack, so Siegel and Budd decided to give their prot�g� a well deserved rest until the Nov. 16 Super Final at Mohawk.
“If all goes well I’d be very content to win the last two races (Super Final and Canadian Breeders). He’s got a chance to go over $1.2 million with 17 starts,” says Siegel. “A lot of people might criticize him for the number of starts he’s had, but in all honesty I think he hasn’t been stressed in any of them.
“He hasn’t been 100 per cent, he’s only getting 60 to 65 per cent of his total air,” he adds, explaining that part of Sir Luck’s six-week vacation includes an operation to correct the epiglottal entrapment that has been causing his breathing difficulties. “I shudder to think just how good he might be if he gets all his air, so I am trying to be conservative. It’s hard to believe the horse could possibly be any better.”
Siegel has been shaking his head at potential purchasers since Sir Luck qualified in June, but notes that there is a sizeable offer on the table at present that he is pondering. Since his first venture into harness racing the 35-year-old has treated it as a business and does not get attached to the horses racing under the C and I Siegel Racing Stable Ltd. banner.
“I’ve got a dog for that. It’s a business and every one is for sale for the right price. Right now I’m just looking to see who is serious and who is just tire kicking.”
No matter which option Siegel chooses, Ontario Sires Stakes fans should get used to hearing his name because this is one business owner who is bullish on Ontario harness racing.