Six days after Decisive Win made light work of his first two-turn test en route to 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard honors at Santa Anita, Flying Dutchmen Breeding & Racing's Where Luck Lives (f, 3, Nyquist-Holiday Soiree, by Harlan's Holiday) made all the running to take a salty first-level allowance Thursday evening at Churchill Downs to also earn 'Rising Star' laurels.
Exiting a defeat of next-out 'Rising Star' Movie Night (Speightstown) in a sloppy Keeneland maiden Apr. 3, the $725,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase caught a flyer from gate five beneath Luis Saez and took her rivals through an opening quarter-mile in :22.62.
Keeping up the gallop on the turn, the athletic bay filly turned them in after a half in :45.68 and finished full of run, covering her final two furlongs in a strong :24.35 to take it by 5 1/4 convincing lengths. The Grade III-placed French Blue (Gun Runner) gave vain chase to be second ahead of Kayla's Comet (Mitole), who got home well for third.
Where Luck Lives appears to be another in a strong series of females produced by Holiday Soiree, winner of the Shine Again Stakes and third in this track's GI Humana Distaff Stakes during her racing days.
The mare was acquired by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds for $160,000 in foal to City of Light at Keeneland November in 2021, producing a filly the following season. Holiday Soiree's foal of 2020, Vahva (Gun Runner), took out the GIII Charles Town Oaks and GII Lexus Raven Run Stakes at three and Rock Ridge sold the mare for $300,000 back in foal to City of Light at KEENOV in 2023. Holiday Soiree is the dam of the 2-year-old filly Christmas Lights, who sold for $850,000 at Keeneland September last fall.
Vahva would go on to become one of the leading distaff sprinters of her generation, with an elite-level score in the GI Derby City Distaff, while Ahavah would go on to round out the exacta in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks in 2025. For her part, Vahva fetched $3.1 million at Keeneland last November.
Nyquist is now the sire of five 'TDN Rising Stars.'
6th-Churchill Downs, $125,591, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($125,000), 5-28, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.03, ft, 5 1/4 lengths.
WHERE LUCK LIVES, f, 3, by Nyquist
1st Dam: Holiday Soiree (SW & GISP, $405,642), by Harlan's Holiday
2nd Dam: Try to Remember, by Include
3rd Dam: Casanova Strike, by Smart Strike
Sales history: $725,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $142,382. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Flying Dutchmen Breeding & Racing LLC; B-Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Brian A Lynch.
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