LOUISVILLE, KY – Trainer Chad Summers’ Mind Your Biscuits successfully showed off a new running style on Saturday, racing near the lead early before pouncing and cruising off in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lukas Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Breaking well from post 6 under Tyler Gaffalione as the 6/5 favorite, Mind Your Biscuits raced two-wide through the first turn and down the back stretch while Flowers for Lisa posted opening fractions of :23.73, :48.09, and 1:12.27. Ranging up along the leader in the far turn, Mind Your Biscuits straightened for home and exploded like a rocket, cruising away while under a hand ride. The 5-year-old son of Posse crossed the wire with a 4 3/4-length advantage in a final time of 1:48.64 for the 9-furlong main track event.
“This horse is so classy,” Gaffalione said. “I’m thankful for Chad for letting me ride. This horse was very impressive tonight and going into the Breeders’ Cup in great shape. We sat a perfect trip and when I asked him to run he responded right away and finished well.”
European shipper Toast of New York was able to get up late for second by a head over the defending champion Honorable Duty, while Flowers for Lisa faded late to fourth. Rated R Superstar barely got past Remembering Rita by a neck at the line for fifth, while Term of Art and Breaking Lucky both failed to threaten and completed the order of finish.
Mind Your Biscuits’ win was his second of 2018 following his second straight Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen victory back in March and improves his overall record to 24-8-10-3. The richest New York-bred of all time increased his lifetime bankroll to $4,279,566 for Summers, who co-owns with his brother Daniel Summers, his father Scott Summers, J Stables, Head of Plains Partners, Michael Kisber, and Shadai Farm, who purchased Biscuits’ breeding rights and will stand him in Japan following the Breeders’ Cup.
“I can breathe a little bit now,” Summers said. “This horse is so special to us and he proved tonight he can go the longer distance. We’ll get with all of the owners and see which race we’ll run in for the Breeders’ Cup. He’ll stay here at Churchill Downs and train up to the race.”
Mind Your Biscuits returned $4.60 to win, $3 to place, and $2.20 to show. Toast of New York brought back $9 to place and $4.40 to show, while Honorable Duty paid $2.80 to show.
