Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Inexperienced New Zealand-bred filly Im Themightylucy emerged as a serious contender for the $150,000 WA Oaks on October 14 when she rated a smart 1.55.4 in scoring a stylish victory in the 1730m HTA Rent A Gen Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
She was a $5.50 chance from the outside of the back line when she was driven patiently by Gary Hall Jnr in sixth position, one-out and two-back, before she started a three-wide move 500m from home and burst to the front 150m later on her way to winning by two lengths from the $2.30 favourite Taking the Miki.
The filly, trained by Michael Young, has been most impressive in Western Australia with four wins and a second to the brilliant Wonderful To Fly from five starts after scoring one win from three New Zealand starts and galloping and being distanced in the South Australian Derby in February this year.
“The Oaks is her main mission,” said Young. “But I think I’d be fooling myself if I thought Im Themightylucy could beat Wonderful To Fly in the Oaks. I couldn’t be happier with my filly, but I think it is Wonderful To Fly, then daylight. I’m a huge fan of Wonderful To Fly, and I think she is one out of the box.”
Im Themightylucy is by the American stallion Sweet Lou and is the third foal out of Vegas Delight, who had 36 starts for five wins, 14 placings and $48,071 in prizemoney. She is a half-brother to Double Up, who has raced 44 times for 15 wins, 15 placings and $186,494. Double Up had 30 starts in WA for 13 wins and ten placings before leaving for America last month.