Dragoon Guard rated off a fast early pace and powered home down the stretch to easily win Saturday’s 13th running of the $498,000 Lukas Classic (Grade II) for 3-year-olds and up at Churchill Downs by 3 ¼ lengths over the tiring early leader Chunk of Gold.
Dragoon Guard stopped the teletimer in 1:48.35 for 1 1/8 miles over a fast track. A red-hot Tyler Gaffalione rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox and owner/breeder Juddmonte.
Gaffalione became only the 13th jockey to win six races in a day at Churchill Downs and the first since Luis Saez won with six of his 12 mounts on Nov. 26, 2022. Pat Day (June 20, 1984) and Julien Leparoux (Nov. 11, 2008) share the Churchill Downs record of seven wins in a day. Gaffalione had a chance to equal their mark aboard his 10th mount of the day, Hereforagoodtime, in the finale but was run down late by Snipsnippitysnip…