A drop to Class 5 coupled with a few precious tips from jockey Derreck David turned out to be the winning combo for US-bred filly Lucky Sugar’s maiden victory after seven runs on Friday night.
Speed but a lack of resistance probably best summed up her career thus far. That was, however, not the tale to tell after the AP Warrior three-year-old quite easily overcame a wide gate to go all the way without flinching in the $35,000 Class 5 race over 1100m.
Upon dispatch, Lucky Sugar ($26) was scrubbed up by first-time partner Erasmus Aslam to go contesting for the lead with two other runners (Major Green and Invincible Man). She eventually won that first speed battle to settle on the steel without burning too much petrol.
From that point onwards, Aslam just had to point her in the right direction and give her as economical a journey as possible. Troy See tried to push even-money favourite Invincible Man to a challenging position at the top of the straight, but Lucky Sugar was in no mood to abdicate.
The Kuah Cheng Tee-trained filly went on to open her account in commanding style, defeating Invincible Man by one length with Major Green (Alan Munro) third another short head away. The winning time was 1min 6.53secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.
Kuah said Lucky Sugar is not the best walker but she can thankfully use her legs better at a quicker gait.
“She’s got a very weird walk. You should watch her at the stables, but she does have some ability,” said the first-season trainer who was at his seventh winner.
“Here I have to thank Derreck for his good feedback after he rode her at her last start. She was too keen, and he told me to drop the blinkers and put her back on Polytrack.
“Aslam rode her very well. He never hunted her and let her roll to the front, and in the straight she gave another kick.
“I think I will keep her to those Polytrack sprints for the time being.”
Aslam, who was at his only ride of the night, said Lucky Sugar was not quite auto-pilot in the first 100m, but once she went through her gears, she gave him few anxious moments.
“It was my first time riding her. She walks like a duck, but she can run,” said the Singaporean rider.
“She jumped ordinary and it took her a few strides to hit full gear, but once she was cruising, she was okay. She didn’t go too hard, she didn’t pull her head off.
“But she did get tired in the last 100m, maybe she felt the weight (57.5kgs). Luckily, she was able to hold on.”
Lucky Sugar is a half-sister to handy sprinters Rapido Boy and Speedy Dragon, being all out of Canadian mare Yen. She is the first winner for relative newcomer Project M Stable.
