Watching Tyler Gaffalione head into the far turn of the $498,000 Lukas Classic Stakes (G2) aboard Dragoon Guard, trainer Brad Cox thought "he made a good move" to go after pacesetter Chunk of Gold at that point, letting Dragoon Guard come into the stretch with momentum en route to a 3 1/4-length win.
Gaffalione made a lot of right moves Sept. 26 at Churchill Downs. The jockey won six races, including a pair of graded stakes for Cox, as they teamed earlier to take the $399,000 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) with Bishops Bay. He became just the 13th jockey to win six in one day at Churchill Downs
This was the third graded stakes win for Dragoon Guard ($8.94), who became a millionaire with the win. He previously won the 2024 Indiana Derby (G3) and West Virginia Derby (G3).
Seeking where he fit in the older horse division, Cox ran him in one-turn races earlier this year before stretching him out. He finished seventh in the Charles Town Classic Stakes (G2) last month, but Cox was not daunted.
"He's enjoyed stretching back out," Cox said in a postrace interview with Churchill's broadcast team. "Thought he ran a decent race last time out. ... Today he showed up."
Cox and Gaffalione expected a strong early pace to set up and indeed it did. Chunk of Gold was sent hard from the outside post, with Banishing to his inside, and they zipped the opening quarter in :22.59. Dragoon Guard was back in fourth, 5 lengths off the leaders, but Cox wasn't worried.
"Tyler let our horse break running and kind of settle into a good rhythm," he said.
Jaime Torres on Chunk of Gold and Francisco Arrieta on Banishing wrangled their mounts back to tick off a kinder second quarter, going the half in :46.64. That allowed the rest of the pack to get within striking distance and, heading into the far turn, Gaffalione sent Dragoon Guard after Chunk of Gold, as Banishing retreated along the rail.
Dragoon Guard brought a lead of 2 lengths into the stretch, and was not seriously threatened while hand-ridden vigorously through the final sixteenth, finishing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.35 on the fast track.
Chunk of Gold continued gamely to be second by a length over This Is Uscar.
Dragoon Guard races as a homebred for Juddmonte, which raced and stood his late sire, Hall of Fame runner Arrogate. That son of Unbridled's Song left behind just three crops before his death in 2020, but made a strong impact on the racetrack with 2022 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Secret Oath in his first crop, 2023 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner and champion 3-year-old male Arcangelo in his second, and 2024 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey in his third and final crop. Dragoon Guard, now 5, is also from that final crop.
Video: Lukas Classic S. (G2)
Plutarch Returns in Style
Earlier on the card, Plutarch returned to action with a dominant 6 1/2-length win in the $300,000 Bourbon Flight Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
This was his first start for trainer Bob Baffert since winning the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) Feb. 7, prior to him saying the colt would be taken off the classics trail to give him more time to physically mature.
Plutarch ($5.38), who was timed in 1:41.79 with Arrieta aboard, is by perennial leading sire Into Mischief and out of champion Stellar Wind, and was bred by the Coolmore-affiliated entity of Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt. He races for the Coolmore partners: Mrs. John Magnier, Micharl Tabor, and Derrick Smith.
